


cyclical

by SrokaZlodziejka



Series: Across time and space [1]
Category: Hollow Knight (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-10
Updated: 2020-07-24
Packaged: 2020-08-14 08:50:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 32
Words: 50,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20189557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SrokaZlodziejka/pseuds/SrokaZlodziejka
Summary: Ghost is locked in a never ending loop of a repeating life times. He needs to win again the Radiance to brake the curse ,but before that happens  debts of loyalty, friendship and love he forged must be payed . Question is, will he be able to do it in time, or will his body brake down before he even gets to fight the forgotten god ?





	1. Chapter 1

A/N- In advance. Sorry for the spelling. 

Ghost remembers the sharp edges of The Radiance blades digging in to him. Going through his slim body. Before his shell broke open like a spoiled fruit and sprayed void all around. This painful feeling of being torn apart and then suddenly by some unknown force, grabbed and smashed back together whit some weary important piece of him, broken beyond repair. He struggles to breath and looked forward. He was back at the beginning, not just in front of the black egg temple but in front of Dirtmouth. He wanted to scream, but in all honesty he has been thru this process so many times already, that any and all rage he felt inside over this cursed existence, fizzled away like a drop of water on a hot plate living him feeling truly hollow. Or maybe not, after all, cud he be hollow if he was this tired? Or this riddled whit pain? Probably not. He stretched his legs out. They were long and strong carved by lifetimes of adventure and battle.  
Despite the world resetting his form seemed to develop just fine. At this point he was a bit taller than Hornet but shorter than Hollow.  
Ghost shivers. Moulting was the single scariest experience he had. Not only did it come straight after waking up back at the beginning, but it was also painful. It left him feeling defenseless and scared huddle up in some dark corner sobbing. Whit barely a thin membrane of 'skin' on him, that was yet to harden in to a proper shell. To weak and confused to even attempt to raise his puny nail.  
He would haw died then. Again and again probably. Until he went mad or detached from that tortures state completely.  
But thank fortune, a lonely traveler stumbled upon him and decided to help. In a way, that truly baffled the small bug.  
Quirrel was kind, soft spoken, curious and quite often absentminded. But at the same time respectful of his boundaries. He never demanded an answer to his question , nor a promise of future reimbursement. No, he helped him because he needed help and he cud provide.  
Ghost reached up to his short ratty cloak that now barely covers him to his knees and produced a worn out lather journal. Filled whit sketches , notes and random pages that almost escaped on to the wind dancing in the kings pass. Flipping to the first page he saw a floral nice dedication on the cover ’For a silent friend whit a loud mind- Quirrel’  
This was one of his most cherished possessions. Perhaps the only one he had, for some reason been allowed to keep during every iteration of his life. And he used it well, filing it with notes and theories on how to progress. For the longest of time he saw this existence as a curs until somebody pointed out to him, how many lives he influenced. Those words struck a note, suddenly they put the world in to perspective. A perspective where he had agency and he cud do ...so much more.  
He groaned, pain once again cursing thru his body in spasms. He figured out so a lot in his travels. Fixed so much and grown in to his own person, truly worthy of a name. He wasn't just a Ghost of the past anymore. He was GHOST the bug. And as much as that knowledge was uplifting.  
It also came with a price of knowing...his time was limited, even if locked in a loop.  
Yes he cud heal injuries by focusing and resting in places like benches and hot springs, that put him on his feat in a blink of an aye. But he cud not heal from the damage made by the Radiance. His body might look healthy and fine from the outside, but inside, he felt all the injuries and residual pain coming from scars gathered thru out his lifetimes. This vicious circle was wearing him down one step at a time. And judging by how it progressed. Ghost feels this was perhaps, his last try. Soon enough he wont haw enough strength to even sit up let along move. Worst yet, nothing will fix it.  
Ghost shivers thinking that he might end up trapped in this body slowly covered by the gray sand. Buried alive, trapped in a shell that became a personalized torture device.  
Enough.  
He can’t entertain this. He cannot. It will brake him if he lingers on it. His hands squeezed the journal.  
One last try.  
One last chance to right the wrongs he inherited  
He wouldn't allow himself to doubt them lest fear overtake him.  
This time he will do everything right, and he will win against the Radiance.  
He has to.  
He accepts no other outcome. 

Stabbing his needle in to the ground. He wobbles to a standing position. Then slowly steeped forward. Just before entering Dirtmouth Ghost turns back and looks to where he knows a corpse of an ancient bug is hidden, in a blocked of alcove deep in the cliffs. Staring longingly at that direction like his ayes cud pear beyond stone and dimensions , somewhere deeper to someone dear to him. A part of him is impatient to see them again. But logic wins out and he knows he has to pace himself this time. Everything would haw its turn.


	2. uh...oh

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An attempt at the dissection of a teen void bug brain. What cud go wrong?

Warm wispy, white vapors raised from the pool engulfing everything round in soul . Ghost was truly surprised that the soul springs didn't in any way resemble Greenpath, it feels like with this amount of ambient energy, life should be springing out of solid rock spontaneously.  
It was nice, relaxing and above all else...sufficiently distracting.  
And he needed that distraction, if Ghost spends even more time thinking a bout how he screwed his plans. He might do something even stupider. If that's even possible.  
Placing a hand on his abdomen the knight mused , where will this path lead him? By some unknown force the moment he got the dream nail he was compered to leave Quirrel's company to start the nightmare ritual.  
Ghost knew beater than to do it right now. He knew. But he did it any way. Why? Because he had constant dreams, ever since the beginning of a slim black and red dancer leading him in to a fiery waltz ? Ughhh...  
Ghost groaned not relay understanding whats going on whit him. He never had dreams before, let alone ones like THAT. Yes dances whit Grimm were... they were always charged whit adrenaline, exciting. Gave him an odd aura of closeness he doesn't quite understand. Just instinctively knows its different than what he had whit any other bug he befriended.   
So many confusing feelings.  
Quirrel for once didn't help. His full answer when Ghost wrote on his small chalk bored a bout the sleepless nights and hazy mind was ‘That's being a teenager for you’  
...  
What was that even suppose to mean? What were teenagers? Was it a sickness? A name for a bug ? What?!  
Also it wasn't funny when the blue bug petted him between the horns laughing at his questions.  
He knew Quirrel had a good hart and he wouldn't laugh at him if it was something important . But at the same time, this irritated him, and so he sought out the ritual place alone. The knight relay couldn't rationalize this to himself, his body just made the decision and went whit it. Additional toughs of the consequences , not needed. All of it was so confusing and a fair bit scary.

Thinking back on it, desperately trying to make seance of his own mind.

Ghost cud not describe, the feeling of seeing Grimm again entering the stage , the lights, the music...just him in general. He spooked the troupe master a bit by reaching out a hand towards him before he finish his introduction. Just to caress his face. To prove to himself, he is in fact real. And that this, isn't a dream again. It felt surreal.  
Smooth and hot, like a living flame separated from his hand by silk. It made the void in his body flux.  
Whit a surprised  
‘My but your a forward one, the introduction is barely over and you already proceed to dance?’  
Grimm tried to pull away and bestow on him the Grimmchild charm. But Ghost had other plans. He slides his hand down the black cape grasped the dark hand, and puled him in to a dancing stance. So many times he wanted to just surprise his friend whit, for once, knowing how to dance properly.  
And indeed the troupe leader was surprise (to Ghosts glee) , still he'd never turned down a good preference whit a competent partner. And lifetimes of practice made Ghost not just competent but impressive. 

A soft gliding waltz consumed them. And do it was not needed, Ghost made positive there chests meet in the dance, that they were as close as two bugs cud be. Grimm seamed to see this as a hint of...something. Because he turn there glide to a tango and his hands grasp Ghosts hip, sending an explosion of warmth up his spine . That was enough to startle the void bug. The knight didn't know this dance well , and suddenly Grimm was making him sweat and boil, inside his shell. One wrong step and they botch tripe and fall to the ground .  
Grimm found himself suspended above, the vessel sprawled on the ground, black hands on opposite sides of the knights head . Both were shocked and confused by what happened, until that is, the nightmare bug exploded whit laughter. This was just beyond amusing to him.  
Ghost on the other hand couldn't help but feel a bit hurt, and most importantly like a total fool. Worst yet he couldn't really explain to himself why he even started the ritual now of all times. It was as if up until now he was in some sort of haze, and the fall snapped him out of it .Why drag Grimm in to a dance? Was he thinking at all during all of this? Why did it feel like a good idea at the moment? This was so stupid. Grimm will never take him seriously now. 

His distress seemed to leek out enough for the troupe master to stop laughing. Standing up whit grace and dusted himself off, it seamed like he wanted to offer a hand to help Ghost stand, but decided not to. And instead placed the Grimmchild charm on him , bringing his face so close to the knight siting on the ground, that the smaller bug cud see his own reflection in the crimson orbs. Ghost cud nearly drown in them, in this haze they inspired.   
‘Well at list I know this will be entertaining, take good care of our child my small dancer, and come to see me ...soon...’ Grimm whispers that last part in a way that send shivers thru his shell.  
The moment the troupe master was gone so was the remnant of the haze. Scrambling to his feat, Ghost ran out of the tent, not looking at Brumm or Elder bug, just...ran out straight thru the crossroads and in to deep nest to hide in the deepest hole he cud find. 

And that was why he was siting in the springs alone, trying to distract himself whit everything he cud think of before finaly confronting his memories. Sadly concluding. Remembering didn't help make any seance of it.   
'Enough self pity...'  
Ghost reached out for his journal, placed on the rocks besides the pond and flipped open a page marked by a bit of red string. The page was titled.  
'Brake the wheel'  
It described one of the bigger gamble heed undertake. He cud not possibly see the result of it. Holding the charm he kissed it apologetically. And proceeded to place it inside his body .  
The child would grow in him, feed by his dearness. He would track down the flames to feed it. But no longer would it be just a carbon copy of its father raised by a surrogate. Now it would be the true child of void and flames.  
A child of higher powers. Hopefully strong enough to defy fate, and carve his own destiny .


	3. Chapter 3

Entering the cave Quirrel smiled, his companion already there and relaxing . What ever errand he went off to fix seamed to not be that complicated.

‘Hello f...oh...’ He called out and immediately stooped noticing his friends head sliding to the side in an obviously sleeping state.   
Seamed the errand might haw been a fast on but quite tiresome, the archivist barely ever saw his companion sleep. Hoping the boy didn't over exert himself just because of him. Walking to the bench intending, to seat down his nail and maps, he noticed it . Balancing on the edge of the pool , almost dipping in was a worn out journal. One move from the sleeping bug or even a stronger wind, would knock it in.   
The mere tough a book landing in boiling water made him for some reason queasy. He cud not let it be ruined! Dashing forward he snapped it up and groaned in frustration. The whole cover was moist from the perspiration and the pages were starting to become warped.  
‘i hate when this happens’   
He mutter to himself whit out even noticing. Whit out thinking he opens the journal to examine how the ink was holding up...and he froze.  
From the weary first page his own hand writing stared back at him. Casting a disturbed look to the sleeping bug he flipped the pages forward. It didn't look good at first glance. The writing was scratchy, barely readable, childish even. But you cud see the progress that led to ghost current handwriting.   
Still that was just a minor blip on the radar if you consider what was written down in the journal.   
Quirrel's mask began to glow. His hart was racing . Hands held the journal so tightly they left a permanent imprint in the leather. 

Ghost woke up whit a yawn that sounded disturbingly like the squeak that Grimmchild would make. He developed that a lifetime back when he has taken up baby talking whit the lintel nat. Before he cud fully wake up he felt the cold steel of a needed under his mask and at his throat. Looking up he saw Quirrel standing over him, needle in one hand , his open journal in the other. Mask shining whit ancient symbols and the silhouette of an all to familiar dreamer right behind the trawler, warping him up in her dream tendrils.   
The voice that came from his friend sounded strangely distorted and weary disturbing.  
‘i believe you haw some explaining to do, my boy’ Quirrel mouthed. 

What proceeded after that was perhaps the longest staring contest of ghosts life. he briefly wonders if that's how most bugs talking to him feel. like there trapped in some ill define game that's a mix of steering and charades whit out moving.   
'...'  
'...'  
Ghost pointed his head to the small pic of shell he used as a board to write whit chalk. Not necessarily happy but understanding Monomon nodded her head and allowed the void knight to get out and grab his writing utensils. Ghost moved whit his hands high trying to give the best impression of harmlessness.   
'you can put your hands down...If my pupil trusts you as a companion i trust you to not make rash decisions void beast. '   
Ghost bowed his head a bit and responded whit a writing of.  
'pleas calm me Ghost lady Monomon'  
'I was under the impression the King named but one of your kind?' the jellyfish dreamer moved above Quirrels body and closer to the void knight , almost prodding him whit her tentacles. her movement betrayed a barely contain curiosity. No wonder there was a strong bond between them and the archivist, at there core they were birds of a feather. Ghost wiped the board whit his hand and wrote again.   
'He didn't'   
'Fascinating. ' It must haw done on Monomon that they were a bit to friendly because they withdrew there curious appendages and strode tall over there possessed friend once more. 'Regardless of your name small one, i demand an explanation.'   
'My lady, i will give you the best one i haw' Ghost replied within minutes. he wasn't planing on doing this initially but he knew that if he refuses to say now, or gets caught lying. that will be it for the dreamers in this lifetime. they will never listen to his pleas again. Perhaps it was for the best the first dreamer he meats one on one was Monomon, they cud help whit Herrah later on.   
'What fallowed was a grueling process of lengthy writing that put ghosts vocabulary to the test. one he faille miserably. He simply didn't haw enough words to properly discus a cyclical pattern of events whit a true scholar. For her part Monomon seamed to be weary patient whit him, quite often interrupting him to suggest a theory. Frankly it derailed the explanation a few times. Quite the same way Quirrels constant musing derailed there conversations. One more similarity. Ghost made a mental not to ask his traveling companion once he remembers his old life, if he was raised by the dreamer or are all tows similarities coincidental.   
'So you are locked in a never ending loop...hymm ...you spin plans no less ambitious then your father...fascinating, truly fascinating...yes...my small...Ghost. i grew tired. So i give you the benefit of my trust ...for now... Come and find me at my resting place, there we will discus this more....know i will be watching and listening... And be weary of Lurien for now ' The dreamers voice was fading out , and there toughs became fragmented. Ghost cursed himself he should haw used the dream nail. Maybe it would give them a longer time. or maybe it would end badly. Honestly he relay wonders what else cud possibly go wrong. All tows divergences from his original plan made him anxious.   
Before Monomon dispersed in to dream particles she gave one more thoughtful humm and retched out to pet Ghosts head 'And congratulations on your state, its a good plan to endear oneself to Herrah... ' The void knight felt his arms drop. but of course they'd feel the dreams of a baby bug. Whit the teachers departure, Quirrel stumbled backwards dazed and only Ghosts quick dash allowed him to avoid a nasty fall in to the shallow water of the spring. Still the moment the archivist saw him and his mined snapped to the journal he yelped and janked away hard, still falling in to the water along whit Ghosts precious book.   
'You my friend haw some explaining to do' Announced the bug whit a distressed once he jumped to his feat. The knight only gave an exasperated sight fished out his journal and scribbled on his board again.   
' You might want to sit down for this...'


	4. Grimm lore

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The nightmare king holds a secret

The good thing a bout being The Nightmare King, bringer of sorrow and darkness , servant of the nightmare hart etc etc...was surprisingly the fact he himself did not haw to sleep, unlike his flesh weasel Grimm. He was free and unburdens by the torrid stream of dreams and memories segregating themselves in the mind. Still, even do he didn't need to be at the whim of it all, he couldn't help but recall something that happened weary long a go. At a time when he still had a physical form, a soul , a hart, a life.   
Melancholy overtakes him as he thinks of the new summoners face, its so similar to ...his. Its almost cruel how taunting that image was. If it was at all a possibility heed send him off and not accept the ritual. But that was not an option, he was but a pawn, a part player for the hart. And deviations from the script were not allowed.   
Nightmare huffed thinking of how the Knight interrupted there introduction, so uncultured, brash and childish. Nothing like Wyrm, whit his grace and collected nature. The phantom bug drew his cloak closer to his body , like he wanted to protect himself from some unseen cold wind.   
He finaly broke the silence of millennia and used that accursed name. The name of a man that stole everything from him.   
He took away his life, before he was even dead.  
He took away his freedom.  
There child...no… his ayes blaze, not there. His. And he didn't steal him, stealing would mean he was alive...no Wyrms sins were so match bigger. Child killer.   
He should haw known beater than to trust him ! He was to young to know beater, consumed by a fire they made together. but he cud haw known, he cud haw stooped it. HE didn't want to. it was his fault.   
Nightmares anger burns brightly engulfing this small pocket realm . He has no doubt Grimm is out there in this sad dim town twisting from an onset of sudden anxiety caused by his anger. 

He stops in his tracks, torturing Grimm is like torturing himself. The boy is after all a part of his own Psyche he cut out in the form of a Grimm child and remakes in order to never re assimilate it .

A surrogate son for a moment. A ‘what might haw been’ if you will. But at the end of the day nothing more than a reminder of a past mistake he cant take back.   
Its easy to burn an old vessel when at the end of the day your burning away something that looks like the thing you hate the most a bout yourself. Even do, they lived different life's than you...didn't make the same mistake...relay weren't to blame for what you yourself agreed to...DAMMIT!

Nightmare tries to remember when was the last time he felt anything close to remorse, or for that mater felt the need to reminisce a bout the ‘good old days’ Something was wrong. Something in the ritual wasn't working. Grimm's living influence was seeping in to him instead of being transferd to the child familiar. But why? He felt the child alive...but at the same time he felt something was off.   
Trust the spawn of Wyrm the accursed to ruin the best laid out plans.   
Like father like son.   
He summon several flame bearers to scout out the husk of a kingdom beneath them for the vessel and report back. Not that he trusted tows fools to do a decent job, but if there was a chance he didn't haw to posses Grimm himself and go down in to that barrel of memories, he would take it. He needed to keep his distance from troupe masters mind for now, until he figures out whats wrong. 

Closing his ayes he spied on Grimm, the boy was siting at the diner table whit Brumm, being comforted by the older bug after an episode he undoubtedly caused whit his rage. Of course he would be. That small one had a death grip of an attachment to its former care taker.   
Brumm the musician. King had to admit when he bestowed the grimmchild charm on this rather mundane looking bug he didn't expect the ritual to succeed. Back then the musician was hopeless, pacifistic to a fault, optimistic fool. The previous Grimm contemplated killing him himself and just waiting for somebody more proper to preform the ritual. But as they say music calms the savage beast. 

Every Grimm in existence to this point received a different up bringing with resulted in them being quite different ans unique. Grimm senior, the true father of the current troupe master was a warrior to behold. Nightmare felt giddy watching him fight, his old moves polished to perfection, oh if he was THAT strong, he cud haw finished of tows accursed Knights and taken a fair shot at the Wyrm himself. Perhaps not kill him, but he cud make positive the man never sears any more children.   
Notably Grimm senior had a star black pastern on his left aye that was missing replaced by a burning red rose. His superior fighting skills had a price.   
Brumm didn't stand a chance in a fight whit him. And the musician knew it. So he didn't even try, instead he lured the man in to an almost trance like state whit his music, where the burning flame of rage simmering in Grimm senior steeled and grew no more.   
There courtship was a long one . One cud almost say that the bugs patience brought up the best in the former troupe master and vice versa. Truly a perfect romance, exept it was destined to go up in flames if you pardon the pun . At the end when Grimm senior came to give up the rest of his flame he went out whit a silent dignity beholden of a king .   
One that a part of the nightmare king botch feared and envied. He seamed to haw found a peace of mind that was unknown to him, and as all Grimm's before him he bypassed giving this maturity and peace to the King by sending it whit the last flame to his son. The only time when he ever wondered whether he should stop the ritual. if only to taste that peace of mind the man exude. 

HE still remembers in vivid detail Grimm senior pointing a sword at him .  
‘i walk to my fate whit a head raised high. So my son can prosper beyond what you can hope to understand’   
A noble , sentimental fool he had become because of that musician. But his words did sting a bit. It stung even more that he did not flinch nor bow his head when Nightmare embraced him and burned his body to ash.   
He briefly felt like once a gain a grave error was made on that day.   
A messy memory that was in his opinion.  
Life mistakes, like memories, like ashes, are left best commended to the winds.


	5. Chapter 5

Quirrel sat cross legged in front of the knight, head down in deep toughs.  
‘So… just to sound it out. You haw ..live this whole ...I suppose mission, several times so far, yes?’  
Ghost made a clicking sound whit his fingers that amounted to ‘Yes’   
‘And every time the radiance kills you, you wake up back at the beginning...the world seemingly reset.’ 

one more click.

‘In one of those lifetimes I helped you thru a molt and we became friends, friends enough for me to give you your journal...I’m sorry bout that by the way’ Quirrel pointed to the almost ruined book drying on the bench. Ghost sighed but clicked and waved his hand disarmingly. He cud rewrite the notes, do judging by the way things were going right now they might be useless any way. But truth be told even if the thing burned to ash heed still keep it close. it was one of his true possessions.   
The archivist took a deep breath to center himself. All of this was truly a bomb shell, suddenly somebody he only just met was telling him things a bout his life he himself bearly remembers. But at the same time somehow he knew they weren't lies.   
‘And...Your..A prince? Correct?'  
Ghost gave an agitated sight and shakes his head. ‘No’ He wanted nothing to do whit this, he accepted the kings brand in every life time just to get forward in his mission.   
‘But you are the legitimate son of the king and queen yes?’ Quirrel poked him .  
Agitated clicking in respond.  
‘Then I'm sorry to brake it to you, but whether you want it or not, you are a prince my friend.’ Quirrel ended whit a smirk.   
Ghost gave him a look that just said ‘Don't ever call me that’ It was childish, but cute at the same time. At list for the archivist. Still this thing got him thinking.  
‘How old were you when you started?’   
To answer this one the knight had to get his small tablet.   
‘Hatched recently’ Well hatched recently spent a bit in the palace before being ultimately disposed off by there father and then...was it a form of rebirth when he crawled out again?   
Quirrel stooped in his tracks.  
‘So when you started your first mission, you were barely a chitchatting...’ Something in his soul churned as he thought of a lonely child whit no concept of the world crawling out of a deep hole and being thrown right in to the harsh reality of life, and even worse to the dark and threatening recesses of the kingdom.   
Ghost in the mean time wrote again ‘Not that young’   
‘So how old were you?’  
‘Don't know.’  
‘Over or under a year?’  
‘Don't know.’  
‘How cud you not?’  
‘Alone, no concept of time.’ honestly he still didn't quite get the concept of dates and set time. it felt like things just...happen when there suppose to happen.  
‘..So you woke up alone and just...walked? Did you even know where your going?’  
Ghost ponders that question for a moment thinking hard a bout those empty hazy days . Back then he was a blank slate truly, or at list his mind was, his belly still knew the pain of hunger, hart knew the feeling of fear when he was set upon by larger bugs. And deep inside him there was something beyond that...like an inner compass pointing to his desired destination.   
‘i knew where I wanted to go...’ He wrote down after a long moment, closing his ayes and sighing.  
‘So..where was that?’ Quirrel probed.  
‘Home.’   
This broke the archivist hart on so many levels. He couldn't imagine Ghost being empty when he knew him as this confident silent adventurer . But he cud imagine a child whit no guidance, deprived of love and care left to die out there in the world. He cud very well imagine how south an life would effect a small grub. Even do he cud not fully comprehend it whit his brain his hart hurt. He moved forward and hugged the vessel. It took a few moments before Ghost accepted and reciprocated. Only now that he knew Quirrel didn't want to stab him did he feel the weight of this day truly go down on him like a bag of rocks.   
Once they separated the scholar was silent. So the knight scribeld   
‘So, your not mad ?’  
‘Mad?...i..you...you tough I was mad at you all this time? No no, Ghost I..well admittedly I wash shocked and hurt at first I tough you were a con artist but...now that you told me all of this. I understand your secrecy. If..if I didn't know you , or at list feel like I know you I might haw thought its the infection getting to you. ‘  
scribel scribel   
‘i'm immune’   
‘Oh...that's...comforting’ Quirrel answers whit a smile. ‘At any point I understand why you didn't say anything, and now your ..lonely escapades make match more seance, you were going a bout your mission. ‘ Silence went on longer and longer ’Ghost..Am I one of your missions?’ The vessel hesitated but finally 

A silent clicking. 

‘Ah...So..Since your keeping an aye on me, id assume something...Bad happens to me?’

‘it’s..complicated.’ You went in peace, but maybe im being selfish wishing more for you. 

‘Nothing a bout this story so far was easy...Cud you tell me? Or is it better if I don't ask?’ Quirrel was torn exactly in half on this subject. Half of him wanted to satisfy its curiosity, while the other half feared the answer.

Scribel. ‘i don't know’ How cud i even begin to explain it? 

‘Understandable, I can hardly imagine my own reaction… A different subject then. Will I regain my memory traveling this place?’

‘Some of it, perhaps as much as you ever can’ 

‘..That...well I suppose that's good. ‘ He musses. ‘ i'm amusing my recent memory problems are somewhat connected to my mask.' He toke of Monomons mask and looked at it sadly’ I know they are, but for some reason I cant find it in myself to be in any form mad. Almost like this was something I consented to long a go. I cant remember much but this mask makes me feel content and safe. ‘

‘She is your friend.’ 

‘ She? Yes that dos sound..right...Mistress sounds more appropriate do. ‘ 

Ghost made a soft laughing sound witch whit his deficient vocals sounded like a soft mix of purring and cooing. Quirrel started laughing purely beaus the sound was funny. This broke the tension between them. Things were almost normal. Until something got both of there attentions. Somewhere from within the tunnels there were disjointed screeching and laughing noises, they saw the corridor to the springs fill whit red light. And ghost felt his body freeze. It was to early the young one didn't yet mange to Seattle in him. He was not risking a fight nor the Nightmare king remedying that. Quirrel noticed his nervousness and garbed his weapon ready to fight but a hand on his wrist stopped him.   
The Knight pointed at the tunnels. They needed to get to the tram, that was the safe space.   
‘it's unnerving that you off all bugs propose a retreat I hope you know that.’ Quirrel mouthed but made no fuss a bout gathering there things hastily and making a run for the tunnel. The archivist followed him for the first time not questioning how he knows the way. He was truly surprised to see a tram station this deep in, he was even more surprised to see Ghost activate the doors and usher him in to the construction.  
‘Are co certain this wont brake down and bury us whit it?’  
clicking noise.  
‘Alright then’   
The laughing noise and red light was gaining on them he cud see it approaching the entrance of the tunnel as the gigantic gates open and they moved forward. Two stations in they feels sufficiently safe.  
‘So...Where they...Friends of yours?’ Quirrel asked.  
Ghost shakes his head first, yes, then no, and settled on 'ugh'. The archivist laughs a bit, this surreality was truly something. How did his life get to this point?  
‘Let me guess, that translated to...I'ts complicated?’


	6. Chapter 6

From that point on they had a few more conversations, but Quirrel brain was trying to process to many fact at once. He cud barely navigate a conversation from beginning to end whit out diverging in to some other territory and forgetting large hunks of what they previously discus. And on some level the scholar was aware of it, so whit a bit of prodding from Ghost they made camp in the tram. Hoping that in a few hovers they'd be able to look at it all whit a fresher perspective. He knew for a fact the metal cart whit secure doors was the safest place for miles.  
What Ghost neither knew nor expected was to wake up alone, whit notching but a note neatly folded in to his journal.

‘My Friend.  
I hope you don't think ill of me for doing this, but you haw given me much to think a bout, to much I'm afraid. I need to mule over everything that happen on my own for a bit. If I'm whit you i'm afraid ill only be ever adding to my confusion. You and I botch know we are destined to see one another again, by that time hopefully id be able to sort myself out and be of more help to you. Once more I apologize and hope you understand . Your friend – Quirrel’ 

Ghost fells something in him twist turn and terr itself in to bits. Was this prof he had a hart? He understood what Quirrel was trying to say but a part of him...fells abandoned. And he knew he deserved it, for botch hawing a secret and failing to keep it. Stumbling out of the tram he cast his ayes in to the dark tunnels making a rash decision that only masqueraded as seance. It was time to get the Kings brand. 

The track to kingdoms edge wasn't easy for him, the Grimm child charm in him burning, causing quite frequent bouts of something that felt like the urge to vomit, but ended whit him sweating shadow thru his ayes, palms and soft spots between the chitin plates. He was melting from the physical exhaustion. The cold winds that grated him were like a miracle cure. Do that relief lasted only about as long as it took to encounter Primal Aspid's. It was a marvel he manege to hate tows thing even more whit every passing life time. Accursed vermin. Up and down and sideways he made his way to the entrance of the Wyrms corps and he froze, how would he ever communicate whit Hornet?… At this point dos she even think he can communicate? He had to prove her he cud..but how ? It was so frustrating.Ghost tough his plan was good but the further along he proceeded the less he knew what to do, the more he second guest himself. Afraid of failing so badly it paralyzed. What would Quirrel do in this situation?

And then it came to him like a snap of electricity, tearing out a page from his journal and scribbling a short message. Knowing he was at the point where Hornet had to see him. She had to be out there watching him write. Just a few steps forward and she'd swoop down. Raising the note above his head, Ghost watched the paper flicker on the wind, before making a step forward and laying it down on the ground under a small cock, right at the place that would prompt Hornet to come out. A lot was riding on this. But he rely wanted to talk whit there sibling before they came to blows, before they both give up on fighting for freedom and accept there doom. Whit a silent prayer to who knows what Ghost turned a round and walked out of the cavern. Just as he passed in to the dark entrance tunnel, there it is the unmistakable sound of a line zipping in and out. He never expected that sound to make him so happy. Whit a bit of new hope he made his track to the abandoned Base just beyond the caverns . 

And wait he did, it might haw been long, it might haw only felt long due to the stress. But at some point Ghost started earnestly wondering if Hornet didn't just decide to ignore his request to talk.  
Maybe he was naive to think they cud form a relationship in a different way than fighting? Maybe he was just a naive small bug suffering from delusions of grandeur like his father. Doubt came crashing down on him, as he contemplated if his not hurting everyone a round him, maybe that's why his looked in this eternal lope , because he constantly tries to do something to help and...in the end he just messes everything up so bad it has to be restarted. Lost in his toughs he barely registers the clink of a needle on stone. Ghost turned his head just in time to see hornet zip thru the opening and jump down whit grace before him.  
It worked.The script seemingly finally seamed to alter . 

‘You wrote you wanted to talk...’ Hornet announced swinging her weapon to point at him. ’ So talk’ She orders.  
Ghost finally and permanently snapped out of his stupor , fumbling to take out his pad and chalk. He was a bout to write something and stooped. Not relay knowing how to start. So he wrote perhaps the stupidest thing he cud.  
‘Hello’  
‘… You went all the way up here to find me,...Just to say..Hello?’ She inclined her head to the side in disbelief.  
The knight shrunk a bit inside, but waved his hand in a negative gesture. Once again he tried to write but his nerves came whit a vengeance and they clouded his brain. How dos one put something so important in to easy words?  
‘Pleas, it's complicated.’  
‘So what in our cursed family isn't?’ Hornet responded crossing her arms. Her gaze lingered on the vessel noticing a tenseness in his hands and the slight tremor of the fingers. Singes of stress the princess witnessed on multiple occasions as a child. She was raised by queens after all, and her care takers made many nervous for good reasons. Still, seeing this in this thing , it made her thing. It wasn't as empty as she assumed it was. Honestly before today she didn't expect it to form enough of a coherent tough pattern to haw a conversation, not to mention feel nervous a bout convening there toughs. She did not do, he had a nice penmanship for something not taught to write. Who even tough to show it how to write?  
Not whit out hesitation Hornet made a life changing decision at that moment. She was told a lot about vessels thru out her life, but for this small moment in time shed disregard what this thing was suppose be, in lue of what he was.  
‘Okey listen...i'm going to be honest I never expected you to be able to..talk, in any form. ‘  
To that Ghost knew how to respond.  
‘i don't think it was a part of dads plan for me to talk’  
Hornet gave a humorless chuckle.  
‘No probably not. But his plans weren't the best’  
‘Cant argue whit that’ Hornets world seamed lighter after there small banter, she had a sibling and something in her accepted that. Whit that short respite there conversation once more came to a sudden stop. Only now they botch felt awkward whit the silence. Ghost wiped the board clean and whit a deep breath he scribeld.

‘I need your help. Hornet, I want to fix out fathers mistakes. But I can’t do it alone, not In the right way’  
‘Define fixing’ Hornet looked at him suspiciously.  
‘Wake the dreamers, free Hollow, and destroy the radiance’  
‘...That...is an ambitious plan. ‘ The tough of waking up her mom some way some how, pulled at her hart strings’ But a completely unreal one.’ Hornet dismissed it, she had to. To lose somebody loved was torture but to feed that something in you that accepted as a loss whit hope, only to haw it fail...it was indescribable. Whit out a weary good reason, a better reason than some wayward souls mad plea, shed not entertain this madness. . ‘ Our destiny ...’  
‘Is ours!’ Ghost slammed the small writing slab on to the bench. Startling his sister.  
‘...Well if your planing on convincing me, you better haw more than a bullet point list’ She snapped back whit a huff. Her sibling was quite, outspoken for something whit no voice. ‘And that slab of yours is ruined’ Pointing at the bits littering the bench she delivered one last jab. ‘so maybe you shod exercise some more self control, brother’ Ghost sighed whit irritation, but also somewhat giddy he was acknowledged as a sibling. Emotions were so odd . Since when did his stoic temper give way to outbursts like that ? The knight felt like he was loosing control. But regardless of that he stood up and scavenged a bit of shell from a fossilized bug in the wall. It was warped, cold and dirty. Bad for writing but it would haw to do. Siting down on the bench , taking a v berth and writing slowly, in shorter blocks of text. This seemingly irritating restriction of his new board seamed to help him center himself. 

‘I'm sorry, but we need to wake up the dreamers to get to Hollow. I refuse to kill them. They did nothing but serve whit all they had‘  
The fact that the vessel understood this sacrifice touched Hornet in a way. Perhaps he wasn't naive, maybe he was just romantic, if that was even posibel. He had to understand that not everything cud be fixed, sometimes life was just unfair. Then again if it couldn't grasp that hawing a life of a vessel, Hornet doubted she cud convey it to him whit any spoken word. Hart of a child, so bright, so pure, and utterly naive. There both doomed.  
‘There bodies lie inert for an age now, they will fall to dust the moment the spell is broken.’ Hornet argued against the falls hope in the most polite sister way she cud muster.  
‘ Yet there still alive’ Ghost responded stubbornly , and the princess truly felt pity for him.  
‘Barely’  
Ghost took out the Joni's blessing charm and placed it on a stone between them.  
‘is..that lifeblood charm?...that's forbidden by the decree of our ….of the king.’ This was an unforeseen development, but it made something in her stir, something deep in her chest and hart. Was his plan going in the direction she amused it was?  
‘Shame the king and his gourd isn't here to enforce it then.’  
‘Still that's just one charm...and we wouldn't know how to brake the spell’ A part of her wanted to snatch that small blue bobble and run, to her mom. But the second part argued they wouldn't even know how to wake them. The mind was spoke for her, but her hart was struggling to control her hands and legs.  
Ghost took out one more charm from his pocket .  
‘Okay that's two...still not enough.’ Hornet crossed her arms to maintain some form of control.  
‘i know where to find the third one...and I know how to wake them.’ He presented hornet whit the dream nail raising it up to shine above his head. The princes gasped and took a step back expecting to be attacked. But to her surprise Ghost lovers the nail on to his open palms and presented it to her. Slowly she approached him and tried to grasp the odd blade, but her hand passed cleanly thru.  
‘What is it? It bears the marks of dreams.’  
The knight made a noise and pointed down to his tablet he cud not write and hold the blade at the same time. Do he did note that the child in him steered at the proximity of the dream blade. By the core of it existence it recognized something made of dreams.  
‘My apologies you can sheathe your weapon...’

Ghost made an apologetic but thankful clicking noise, before hiding the blade and writing on the tablet.  
‘it's called the dream nail, it allows me to enter other bugs minds and dreams. I cud in theory go in to there dreams ,and maybe just maybe convince them to leave whit me. ‘  
‘So..At the end of it… it would be there choice if they want to live or die.’ Would Herrah accept? Would she choose to come back to her? The potential answer to this question made her nauseous .  
‘..Isn't that more of a choice they'd otherwise haw?’ The knight wrote down felling a bit nervous that his sister didn't seam to show outward happiness at getting her mom back. did he say something to offend?  
‘i suppose so… this is all weary noble of you but, I still don't understand why, when it would be so match easier to...kill them? Is your journey not difficult enough whit what the world wants from you?’  
‘Somebody once told me...easy dos not denote right. if the nest is to rebuild, it needs good leaders. Strong, compassionate and wise rulers that will hopefully deal whit the after match of the infection…i know your strong Hornet and that you'd give it your best, but you cant do it alone.’  
‘ME!? Are you insane? Why would I try to...’ Her anger abruptly fizzles. ‘...if Hollow doesn't survive, and neither do you, I would be...’ His sisters voice trailed off, yes she was always a princess she never forgot that but her hart was always in deep nest and the hive to an extent, Hornet hadn't relay entertained the tough that if shes ever to be the last one standing the whole of hollow nest. Even if all that was left for was a smoldering ruin would be her's to rule over . It was her time to get lost in toughs. Ghost stood silently and placed a hand on her arm, along whit whit writing stone on her lap.  
‘You are not alone, I am here to help ’  
This made her strangely sentimental, even when punching the vessel in the arm lightly as punishment for his forwardness. It was nice to feel like she once more had a family.  
' This is all a nice plan and all, but if you want the kings brand even for a moment you'll still haw to prove to me you can beet me. I'm not placing the faith of our kingdom and my mother in some weaklings hands! ’  
Ghost gave a deep and long sight and nodded his head. Yes he knew. Better than anyone. Still...a small jab was in order.  
‘i'm looking forward to betting you then’ He jabbed her right in the pride spot and Hornet looked at him incredulously. Still a bit salty bout the first time they fought.  
‘You!...oh its on!’


	7. Chapter 7

Acquiring the kings brand was painful, it always was painful to fell the mark burn in to him. But this time it felt like it was sired not just in to him. It embedded itself in to his gut, and before unconsciousness claimed him as he warped a hand round his abdomen yelling voicelessly ‘Not the child!’  
He barely noted the sound of the Wyrm corps collapsing and the soft wiz of a spider thread.  
Next thing he perceived wasn't the grey stone sky or the cold heed usually feel being left outside the collapsed husk. On the contrary, he saw chiseled decorative ceiling and satin covered purple walls. Paintings of some of noble looking bugs looking down at him. He jumped up to a siting position trying to grasp his nail but finding it not at his side. How did he get to the city of tears?!  
As if on cue Hornet made her way thru the door caring a small sack on her back, needle in hand dripping whit what was left of some miserable infected bug. 

‘Ah so your awake, good. I was starting to get worried when you started leaking what I assume is void. Do admittedly I didn't know what it was necessarily, flesh or blood, the amount was still worrying. I decided it was time we made camp somewhere, safe and warm, so you cud recover from what ever was ailing you. I feared it might haw been my doing but you had no open wounds.‘  
Ah so that's what they commandeered one of the houses in the city. The knights thinks. But the description of what Hornet said worried him. He felt violently ill ever since he and Quirrel parted ways, but now..now he felt better for some reason. Or rather, stable. This feeling was hard to describe.

But beyond the old hurting of his body he felt a warm spot in him soothing the scars. Looking down he moved his robe, and cud here Hornet gasp. His abdomen, do still somewhat dirty whit void, now shining whit red lines . There was a light coming out of his belly, a fiery scarlet gleam seeping thru the connective tissue between his chitin plates. He was in a way, a revers of a stain glass lamp. And then it came to him. Filing that place whit his fingers clearly mapping out the shape of an egg. As it was developing it pushed out the void to make room for itself, causing his body distress.  
Hornet raised her needle.  
‘Are you infected?!’  
Ghost shook his hand . and motioned for her to come closer. Hesitantly she did, gasping as he placed her hand on the now official baby bump.  
‘By the Beast.you...is that? It cant be, you shouldn't be able to !...your penchant for braking every preconceived notion I haw of your kind is , unnerving .’ The princess finishes, but dos not take off her hand.  
How odd was this, in one day she gain a sibling, a bit of hope, and perhaps a nice or nephew. No wonder the vessel was struggling so hard to make things right. They had the best motivation in the world. The same motivation that putt her mother to sleep. Maybe even that's why there sibling wants to wake Herrah, and pursue a non violent reconciliation. And just like that the higher thoughts of noble intentions gave way to a more horrific realization.  
‘You were pregnant and I threw you repeatedly in to a wall of spikes!!!’ She bows.  
‘i am so deeply sorry!’ Hornet squeezed her ayes shut and then exploded’ Why didn't you tell me your hawing my nice or nephew before this?! What if I had won! Did you even think of that?!’ Ghost spend the next few minutes squeezed in to far comer of the decorative couch, covering himself whit a worn out pillow like it was his last hope of survival. While the inferno in the shape of his sister kept yelling and spouting criticism . Nothing would be scarier than fighting Hornet for the first time, but dam if this moment didn't come close to that.  
Once his older sibling was truly done, or at list stooping for berth, she sat next to him whit a huff, like nothing happened puling her bag closer whit a single swipe of a thread taking out, a perfectly nice small writing board.  
‘Found a replacement for you. Lucky for us there was a lot of scholars in the city that used similar things back in the day. ‘  
Ghost slowly uncurled from his ‘ plz don't kill me’ position and took the tablet. It was far nicer than the one he scrounged up. You cud see it was well used but at the same time well taken care off.  
‘So..you'll be taking it easy until the egg is born. Means we haw time to plan out our curse of actions I suppose.’  
‘No...why?’ The knight wrote back. Hornet gave him a disproving look and pointed at his belly. Ghost looked at tit and then questioningly at her again.  
Hornet facpalmed hard.  
‘Because you'll be easier to kill?’  
‘No i wont. I won against you, didn't i?’  
‘THAT, will not be spoken about anymore, and just because you made it out by some stroke of luck alive whit my new family doesn't mean the next time some bug roles over you they wont squish you both. ‘  
‘i can win against any bug.’  
‘...You don't know the first thing a bout pregnancies do you?’She dead panes .’its not a bout you, its a bout it.’  
‘But IT is in ME.’  
‘But IT gets hurt easier than you!’  
‘That doesn't make any seance!  
‘Gahh….uhh how do I...ughhh...You are utmost frustrating’ Hornet proclaimed pulling at Ghosts horn. ‘What would the dad of your grub say?! Actually that is a good question where is he?’  
‘Heed fight me, and he doesn't know’ The knight responded rubbing his horn, before getting it pulled yet again even harder .  
‘ What do you mean fight you ?’  
‘Let go!’  
Hornet let go of his horn but observed him like a predator its prey ’Talk'  
‘Theirs nothing to talk a bout, I known him since I was small. He tough me to dance whit passion and how to take care of our child. And once the small one was bigger weed ..dance to the death.’ Ghosts face might haw became a bit wistful at that point when he was recalling his encounters whit Grimm, ever since he grew up enough to haw tows odd feelings, he recalled the older memories whit even more fondness. Hornet on the other hand was truly horrified and ready to kill.  
‘You were pregnant more than once already?!’  
‘What? No. this is my first time, I just took care of his children until they reached there prime, but we called them ours. ‘  
‘Oh thank the higher beings... wait no, this is still bad.’ Hornet mouthed and Ghost stared at her truly not understanding whats causing her so match distress. But when his sister started slowly creasing the edge of her blade whit her fingers he knew this, it wasn't the best idea to tell her any more a bout Grimm. He simply felt it. 


	8. Chapter 8

Ghost loved Hornet whit all that he was, she had a special place in his hart, just besides Grimm and Grimm child, and all three were in there separate but equal category. He would never doubt her place in his life.  
How ever this new protective streak and sudden hands on involvement in his life was , testing this resolve a tiny bit. Him carrying Grimm child was something oddly personal to Hornet, almost like it was her own. The knight of course called the princess on it, and after a few attempts to use that discussion to gain the fathers details Hornet finally spoke her mind.  
‘Inaction doesn't come easy to me Ghost’ She said siting by him.’ A part of me knows I cannot hope you survive this ordeal, an even bigger part of me knows you wont survive, and I cant do anything a bout it. The tough that after you leave there will be this small thing left behind whit out it's parent, placed in the hands of strangers...is all to familiar to me, its personal on a level that...hurts. But I owe it to you , to it to protect you botch. Its the only thing I can truly do ...and so I plan on doing it as well as I possibly can. ‘   
This broke Ghosts hart a bit, He remembers from previous lifes how Hornet mourned her mother, they spend only a bit of time whit one another yet there bond was so strong it persisted beyond death , it motivated the dreamer even now. Do it for her. Would his child mourn him? He didn't want that. But at the same time he wanted to cherish time spend whit it, he wanted that bond. It made him question, was he a bad person for wishing this pain on his child? This was a finicky part of the plan he didn't even know if he cud save Grimm to take care of the child, if he couldn't the baby would be left a drift in a sea of strangers like hornet implied. So far beyond his protection and ability to do anything. He truly felt for Herrah in that moment Pushing back that hurtful question he looked to Hornet and tried to think of something to say to make her and himself a bit less melancholic.  
Searching his hart ghost finally scribeld.  
‘You will be a wonderful aunt for it’  
‘You cannot know that. I hate kids, and the smart ones hate me’   
‘But ...you will understand it in a way only you two can truly understand. It will need you Hornet, and maybe you will grow to like them for that kin ship to’   
‘...It's funny, his not even born and we already haw something in common.’ Hornet sighed placing a hand on his belly.’ My but his a little furnace isn't he ?’ She was a bit concerned by it but had no prior experience beyond what the midwife told her to truly know if it was wrong . As if on Q Ghosts belly rumbled internally , he was hungry but he felt it wasn't hunger for food. The time to forage for flames was upon him.   
‘Well, I do feed him nightmare flames, he burns brighter whit every feeding’  
‘Talk a bout a nightmare in the making then...’Hornet pated the bump and looked at him, only to realize after a moment’ Are..are you serious? Is that something void creatures do? Feed on nightmares?’   
‘No, I suppose the void is more of a nightmare itself, it doesn't need to feed on them’   
The beast daughter got uncomfortable, but you cud only tell by her withdraw her hand , beyond that she was a stoic individual. Even do it was no fault of her own Ghost knew she bore some guilt for his and his siblings fate.   
‘It's from his fathers side, his also...unique,’   
‘Oh...so will I finally find out something a bout this...mysterious bug?’  
‘If you promise not to fight him, kill or maim’  
‘You know I can't’   
Ghost gave an exacerbated sigh and briefly wondered why is introducing his larva father to the family was so hard. Was it normal, or just a part of this sick family?   
Hornet on the other hand hummed and slipped in to her own toughs for a bit. Eating nightmares, that was a story oddly familiar . But she couldn't quite put a finger on why. Like a memory from childhood it teeters at the edge of her waking mind, close enough to be felt but to far to be seen for what it was. Looking round the room her ayes fell on a small book one of many previously coveted items , dusty and disheveled , but you cud still see the red silk used for the cover. And it clicked.  
‘The Red Fool!’   
‘The what now?’ Ghost looked perplexed not realy knowing if he was being offended.  
‘iw herd of nightmare eating before. As a small grub. ‘Hornet strode up and garbed the book showing it to the knight’ I was to young to be shown this book back then but one of the nannies in the hive summarized it to me when I was ahem being stubborn bout it ...i didn't like it.’   
‘...Why?’  
‘Its a story bout our fathers supposed elicit romance.’   
Ghost looked at her puzzled garbed the book and flipped thru the pages stooping at an illustration of the familiar Grimm troop tents. Well they weren't quite like he remembers slightly more realistic, but there shape was unmistakable. Yet when he scanned the text there was no word for pale king just this nameless ‘ ivory robed Noble’   
‘it’s not a bout our father I do not see his name anywhere.’  
‘Well of course you don't, that was a scandal, this book was circulated underground for the longest of time! Getting caught whit a copy of it was something that would neet you a hefty fine or even a loss of a hand if you were to be caught by one of the knights personally. This must haw been a true scandal back then...’Hornet droned on , but Ghost toned her out in lue of his own wild toughs. So, Grimm knew his father? He had ...he was whit him? Was he also a servant of the nightmare hart back then? Was the pale king a receiver of the Grimm child...what was happening here? Why is he finding out a bout this just now?! Was this one more elaborate plan by there parent?! Is this why the pale lady had south an animosity to him being whit his child? To many questions not nearly enough answers. The room felt smaller and he felt air leaving him as something close to a panic attack was preparing to commence.   
The knight tried to reed it but his mind had a hard time comprehending the flowery language, thanks to Quirrel he cud read the font fine enough but that was a bout it, he understood maybe every forth word, and sometimes that wasn't enough to get the context of the sentence. Internally he felt like he wanted to cry out of frustration. It was like the world was teasing him.  
It was Hornets warm hand on his that snapped him back, he looked at her and she at him. Finally the weavers princes took the book out of his hands and cleared her throat.   
' Ill reed it to you. But only because a prince so frustrated whit the prospect of reading is unbecoming. ‘  
‘i know how to read, this is just strange language’ Ghost protested. Hornet flipped a few pages and cringe.  
‘Well yes like I was trying to tell you , they couldn't be overt whit this story. It was bad enough it existed in the first place, nobody was brave enough to just write it as it was...well maybe except for Monomon, but she was to smart to ever let that pic of knowledge out….now that I think of it, who ever wrote this must haw worked somewhere close to her to get this information...hym..’  
‘So what your saying is somebody wrote a book to convey a story, by not convening the story?’   
‘Don't give me that quizzical look little brother, I'm just as lost as to why this style of writing exists as you….waist of good silk if you ask me. ‘ She rubes the cover of the book whit her finger watching the threads crumple in to dust. ‘Lets do it this way then. I read a few pages and summarise them to you. ‘  
‘id be greatfull’  
‘And in exchange you tell me more a bout this bug that did this to you.’  
‘Why wont you let it go|?’  
‘Because somebody besides me tried to hurt you, and then send you down here to get hurt in a compromised state. And since were talking and bonding as siblings...i take it personally’   
‘...its more complicated than that, believe me.’   
‘i do...i do believe you, for now you haw proven to me you stick to your word, even if your a bit..thoughtless in your endeavors. But I can't fault you for hawing no common seance if there wasn't ever anybody to bestow it on you, still that doesn't mean I'm not mad at an adult that knew tows things and just used an opening...yes I know you said you consented, but theirs a difference between consenting to something you don't understand and consenting knowing ...just knowing. ’   
‘Hornet, I can promise you this was and is my own personal choice, I went against his will whit this.’  
‘...heh...Ghost, ill be honest, I haw no idea what I'm doing here, I just don't like him...inside, I feel like I haw a lot to owe up to and protecting you from a predator is the easiest on the list. If he turns out to be a good bug...then bless your union. But until I know that I wont let it go. And if what you say is true’ She smacked him up the head’ Your an idiot….but it doesn't change my sentiment a bout him. You need two to make an egg.’   
Or just a blessed familiar charm. Ghost thinks but saves that topic for later rubbing his aching mask. Hopefully he can get his sister to at list like Grimm before he dies taking the radiance down. If the troupe master even survives his act of defiance.   
‘Any way,...this topic of discussion is getting a bit to...personal. Lets just reed the book.’ Hornet announced opening the crumbling pages. 

A/N- I hope you guys are ready for some pale King/ Nightmare Grimm romance. Next part The red fool. Also sorry for two chapters of jiber jaber between Hornet and Ghost I'm trying to establish some form of family relationship here...


	9. Chapter 9

Ghost listened patiently to Hornet firs reading out loud a page or so from the book , then slowly translate it. For all her faults and supposed short temper, his sister was a devoted teacher whit a seemingly genuine fire to complete any given task to a 100% .   
He relay needed to introduce her to Quirrel...once the other bug actually can stomach looking at him.   
Page by page a series of events unfolded in Ghosts mind. A rickety circus tent arriving in to the town above. Worn and torn from years on the road, but all the same. Presenting itself in contrast to the dreary top world as a beacon, nay a gateway to a seemingly new dimension bathed in red light. Where musicians, minstrels and various artist entertained and bewilder everyone from the common bug to the elites. 

Ghost had to stop once they got to the page whit a crude but stile recognizable illustration of Grimm. He looked different, younger, still slim and flamboyant. Still there was something sharper in his form that his Grimm lacked. The tip of his black finger lingered on the depiction. Some of his inner sadness must haw leaked thru to Hornet, probably by the way he moved, because she stooped.   
‘So.. that's relay him? The guys you...you know’   
Ghost took a moment to ponder that question before shrugging his shoulders. He didn't know enough a bout the ritual to make a definite statement.  
‘Right, I suppose it has been a long time, might just be somebody of his tribe...or something. Theirs a lot of kingdoms outside of hollow nest you know.’  
Ghost nodes , that made seance that the world didn't stop on there small little ruin. Still a bit strange to imagine a kingdom filled whit Grimm's, where the troupe leader wouldn't be the one to stand out and impress.   
Hornet ready the description of the final act of the night. A slim dancer clad in what cud only be described as a cloak of 'living flame'. Hypnotizing whit his moments and making fools of seasoned knights and warriors that challenge him to a dance. Whit extreme ease, and joy. He made the proudest of bugs in to fools, like marionettes whit tangled strings compered to him they were graceless and dumb. The Scarlet fool, wore rags and yet he carried himself like a bellman. He owned nothing but the dirt in his coat pocket, and yet he saw himself as king. The dancer projected this aura with south ease and serenity that everyone fell under his spell.   
Ghost cud more than relate to this. The mere description brought up enough images of Grimm in his mind. To feel that familiar hazy pull he had when they danced. Hornet huffed indignantly as if she was mentally preparing for something but continued reading. 

Then one day when seemingly everyone has already seen the show , and committed the eccentric bugs glorious form to memory..somebody new came in. 

Ghost shivers, ash he has a fair idea who it cud be. A part of him whisperer he didn't need to know what connected Grimm to his father. He cud be happy not knowing. Then he placed a hand on his abdomen, and reminded himself this was no longer just a bout HIS happiness. 

As it turned out the new presence was quite predictably the King himself, pale and regal, surrounded whit his trusty guards. Ghost suspected that no mater who else procured a ticket that night, had to sadly accept there geo would pay for the kings privet show. As it seamed the king was rather taken whit the spectacle. Ghost wonders for a short moment, was there father capable of taking joy in things like this? The taters of memory he possessed were of a cruel cold worm. Somebody whit little love and interest in anything, besides his mission. But now that Hornets voice carried the story he came to realize, that before this infection. Before all of this, under neath that white unfeeling mask, there must haw been...somebody. Right? Perhaps hollow got a glimpse of that bug...if only by accident. Was it the cause of his loyalty? Ghost didn't knew what to think of this. But this realization left a foul taste in his soul. Like in some indirect way they were robed of something they didn't even know existed. 

The next illustration in the book made Hornet close the book whit a snap and take a deep breath.  
‘I never wanted to see ...any depiction of dad like that’ She stated . Ghost didn't relay understand what the big deal was, there was a bug in Dirt mouth that had BOOKS written a bout him, in far more explicit detail. And besides, they didn't even get to the dream eating part yet! 

‘Ehem..any way...after the fifth show..dadd...payed for a privet ...er demonstration. One whit out knights and guards in tow..do..do you understand what that means?’

Ghost nods. He understood, he did a few privet less brutal dances whit Grimm, whit out a crowed surrounding them. A ‘practice run', before the 'big show’ . Hornet looked at him like she wasn't convinced that he did in fact know but decided to let it go. Ghost pointed at the book, they still had a bit to go. 

‘I..um..it's dinner time and I need to flush that illustration out of my system..how a bout a brake?’   
Ghost tough a bout it, yes his hunger for the red flame was getting immense. Heed love to get some in his system. Besides it wasn't like there was any bug left in the city to steal this book from them, right? 

~~+~~

Grimm sat before a mirror in his privet alcove. The same one every precious troupe master had. Slowly going thru his personal routine. Putting a waxy substance smelling of roses and hibiscus flowers ,on his deceptively frail looking limbs. Just to enhance to glow and shine of the chitin plates. Slowly humming a waltz like tune.After this hed put a special herbal blend on his face to keep the whitens of his face smother. Truth be told he didn't need to do any of this, his form was just a manifestation of how he saw himself. And in his confidence , he saw himself as notching less than physically perfect.  
Still the familiar ritual of grooming from his childhood days brought him comfort, and calmed down the mind.   
The nightmare kind grew restless, he felt it. He himself felt quite a bit of angst.   
As his father the previous Grimm troupe leader had explained to him.  
Nightmare is ruled by his fear of death. But a true ringleader shooed be define by his passion to live, to be a flame, not just something that posses it.   
Laser bugs would not understand this sentiment. And so they fell like wheat before his blades.  
What a waist it would be, to dance whit a sub par partner. one that wishes only to acquire himself a strong familiar to aid him in..what ever silly endeavor they pursuing. Usually something disgustingly selfish.  
Especially considering that would be the only true dance a Grimm would ever haw the pleasure of hawing.   
This Grim He truly didn't wish to die, or at the weary list not a disgrace. His scarlet gaze landed on a dried up husk of a rose siting mournfully next to his mirror on a velvet pillow. A memento from the past.  
He remembers his fathers death. So proud so magnificent. He went whit out fear nor remorse. Was it egotistical to wish to emulate ones parent? Not only in death but in life?  
His mind slides to his summoner. What an odd , presumptuous young bug. So handsome , agile, and seemingly dancing to the same invisible music as he. It felt familiar. Like a memory hidden so deep in his weary bones and perhaps even deeper than that. It made him hot.   
Grimm would never admit to anyone he wished for the same romance and flame that united his parents , but that moment when the mysterious bug steeped in to his tent. So brazenly just strode up to him to touch his face. Gazing at him like he found something he has been looking for his whole life. The missing piece of his existence. It felt like maybe just maybe the nightmare hart would grant him this one secret dream. And the hidden memory quivers in him, making him change the waltz in to a tango just like..like when..  
And just like that the memory is gone, escaping from between his fingers like a sliver of smoke. How odd. Was it a memory from a previous leader? Not important.

Grimm rubes his arms and shivers instead focusing on recalling there dance in vivid detail, how the boy teased him. So eager to burn , to become for ever intertwine until they both turn to ash and can never be separated.

Father..oh father is this why you never killed Nymm? Is this why he chose to join the troupe and become Brumm? Because you both burned so brightly not even death cud brake your flames apart? A wave of excitement and melancholy crashes in to him.

Forcing himself in to cooling down he ponders something . His pretty dancer was gone for an awfully long time now, and he hasyn't even attempted to get any flames, from what the Grimm kin say. In fact they mentioned he ran from them. Was he intimidated? Did he realize what he has done summoning them to this kingdom, and decided to run off instead of completing the ritual?

Grimm focused and tried to fell for the Grimchild amulet . It was there but it felt shrouded by something. It didn't emanate fear nor distress, merely hunger. Witch was completely normal. But at the same time, the tie that connected it to him, a tie that would steadily drip feed all that he was to the child. his weary life essence. It felt oddly constipated. From his end it seamed to be working but that energy surrounding his child, seamed to reject it out right. It was unwilling to mix whit anything that wasn't it's kin.

Humming a sharper tune Grimm closed the lacquer wax box , standing he fixed up his cape and gave himself an once over in the mirror.  
He was stunning. Felling round his head he saw nightmare was worked up, but thankfully also fully concentrated on himself. Enough so that he shouldn't put up a fight if he actually decided to leave the 'comfort' of the red tent.   
And if he asks, well Grimm cud always correctly say he was just keeping an aye on the ritual , no?   
After all a troupe masters job is never truly done.   
Whit that defiant attitude the troop master glided towards the entrance to Dirt mouth , fully intending to decent in to the forgotten kingdom to find his young summoner. Hopefully fix whats constipating the connection and...well if all of that ledes to spending some time whit his dance partner, he wont complain.

Brumm watched him go, silent and sportive as always, but once his son was out of sight, he ducked in to his own room. Gently he puled out from under the bed a worn out decorative box. Within it, on black velvet like frozen in time strikes of light, lay a pair of swords. Polished , perfectly balanced and gleaming whit what might be considered there own life. Once upon a time, they belonged to Grimm senior, his beloved. The musician returned to them often in times of loneliness or doubt. This time how ever Brumm wasn't looking in to the box to reminisce, he puled a sealed bit of parchment from beneath the velvet. The Grimm kin crest looking back at him. A massage from beyond the grave, one he was suppose to keep until he thinks it's the right time. 

~~@~~

Quirrel stood before the door to the archives, he was there faster then in any previous life time, and this time a round, he would be entering alone . If only to avoid Ghost suddenly showing up.   
He felt, somewhat bad a bout this decision. It was one of the things he gleamed from the younger bugs journal, a center point of his meticulously maintained plans to save them all.  
Quirrel appreciated the sentiment, he relay did. But at the same time something in him whispers. This is my life, I deserve to be able to make the most important choice in my life, on my own terms.   
‘Oh forgive me my small friend...i might just be ruing your plans’ The wanderer mourns puling the mask forward like a shield that would protect him from his own doubts and guilt. This place was bound to contain all the answers and that's all he was after. Or so he tough.


	10. Grimm senior art




	11. Chapter 11

Ever since Quirrel crossed the threshold, his body moved forward as if guided by an invisible string . Leading from location to location. He cud almost see worn out step marks in some places.   
Fight whit the guardian was an expected interruption. Why wouldn't a place like this haw a guard?   
Phantom electric shook still sent a painful sting thru his shell, one that was slow to fade. This was a fight best suited for two opponents. But he had to persevere, and before he knew. Quirrel stood, face to face whit his most trusted and beloved friend and mentor.   
How cud he ever forget?   
Lady Monomon.  
Like a violent sea wave, it all crashed in to him at once. He was home. And even do it was impossible, Quirrel cud haw sworn she was smiling down at him, equally as happy for his return. 

For the longest time he just sat there and basked in that peace of mind that comes only when one returned home after a long journey.   
It would be much later when Quirrel finally started exploring materials and notes left in the room . Everything was neatly stacked and organized. Answers to all his questions. Like all of this was planed years in advance. More than half was written by his own hand.

An unnerving process indeed.  
But as he reed on it started to make seance. His mask, or rather the Ladies mask wasn't just a trinket to hold near and dear. During this lonely journey. It was a beacon of sanity. Protection against that with did not target the body but instead the mind. 

Lady Monomon concluded long a go that a prolong stasis in the dream realm would render ones mind inert and derelict, not more complicated than whet befalls tows infected. So whit the use of arcane arts she gave her ayes to this mask. Together they would achieve what they dreamed of before, they would venture out of the nest and learn of the outside world first hand.

A part of her was always whit him. In a way it was sweet, and thinking of the lonely nights outside, or how many times the mask saved him. He was grateful. 

Yet still the consequences of this pact between souls worried him. 

As it stood in the documents, a body is meant to house only one active mind, that is the way things ought to be. A bugs brain simply cannot process more than one lifetime. And even then, eventually it has to pick and chose what to keep and what to forget. To place a different consciousness in a body already hawing its own is more than just risky. Were it two less amicable souls, one would surely destroy the other . The mind that would grow faster would squish and push out the slower opponent, in order to make room for itself.   
It seamed both Quirrel and Monomon made an effort to not grow to big. To maintain one another companionship.  
Still the mere fact there was a different presence in him, came at a cost. Room needed to be made for his lady. And it came at the price of nearly all old memories. 

He sacrificed his past for the only future they cud see for the both of them. One beyond hollow nest. 

Some bugs at this point would haw called in to question there choices, but Quirrel did not regret any of it. Still he cud not hid , he did feel a bit melancholic a bout this process. Taking off Monomons mask, the traveler looked at it . They cud haw learned an been so much more if they were themselves , minds fully there own to process and store. Bodies to explore and experience the world. How many things . Wonderful things did they haw to chose to forget not to kill one another? 

Perhaps that was why he felt the urge to come back, because his journey was no longer a quest for knowledge but merely an aimless walk from one forgotten memory to the other. Was it even his will that summoned him home or did his lady as always come to her own conclusions and wished to... he didn't even know what her wish cud be but it made his mode darken on instinct. 

Indeed he felt his journey was at an end for the longest time, but now a wind of hope has moved past him. At this moment right here Quirrel made a decision to go and find his friend once again, and offer them all the help he cud give. 

Win or lose, at the end of this story he would reunite whit his Lady.

But he owed both of them to at list try and aim for the better of the two.


	12. Chapter 12

Grimm had to admit he missed the simple act of sightseeing. He hadn't done it since early childhood.   
The fungal wastes were surprisingly fun, do he had to burn a few creatures alive. Merely to preserve his dignity. Closing in on to the flame in the City of Tears, he felt it snuffed out.   
Seamed his dancer had finally decided to feed there poor child. Now that a blaze burned in the child he cud feel there movement far more clearly. And they were heeding straight towards him. After a moment of consideration Grimm jumped up to the caverns ceiling attaching himself in a dark corner, ayes still flashing scarlet. But one would need to haw a weary keen sense of there surrounding to notice this in the ever present mist of spores consuming the wastes.   
It brought him a thrill to see his little dancer come of the bridge, barreling down in a blaze of magenta at an inhuman speed only to stop in a split second before smashing in to a wall. What a wonderfully flashy novel ability. No wonder the boy had strong legs and good time spacing. It must haw taken quite a few face plants in to different terrain to learn when to stop. 

Admiration aside it worried him he didn't see the gnat anywhere near. Did he take off the charm? Grimm bristled, he remembers hating to 'disappear' as a child, it also did not bode well for the bond between the child and its career. 

Something was definitely off, he cud seance the child but not see it. As the knight descended deeper he decided to fallow in the shadows, surely when he makes a move for the next flame the child must revel itself. 

There path took them to the lush setting of Greenpatch, where The knight finally finished crystal dashing and gave Gimm a moment to catch his breath. The troupe masters head was actually spinning from teleportin after his target. Ghost walked, and jumped whit ease thru bushes, over ravens and garbing on to barely visible shelves of stone. For a moment the troupe leader even wondered if this wasn't a perfect location to revel himself. It was after all, rather romantic. That was his mind set any way, until he discovered the ceiling had a considerable few things poping up at random out of it . This time he didn't kill for dignity. Marley out of annoyance.   
Finally his little dancer got to the area where the nightmare novice had been waiting. 

Frankly Grimm wasn't a fan of them, he understood the importance of practice and refining ones art. But the novices were simply all over the place, manic energy substituting strength and substance. He didn't train them leaving that task in the hands of there elders. Do when as he watched the knight swat them whit ease he felt a pang of disappointment. Would they turn out better if he was more hands on in there training? 

His musings were cut short as the small dancer delivers a final strike, jumping up and slashing below. Grimm's ayes widen in aw as his chosen one was batched in flame and dream sigil casting sharp shadows all over his slim form. An entrancing spectacle that made his own blaze jump to life. And then it happened, a small mouth opens from beneath the mask, and in a moment all the flames were sucked in to it, air filling whit an inhuman scratch. The knight stood there arms spreed wide, knees buckling as tremors of fire descended down his body, lighting up every fleshy bit not covered by shell plates. Illuminating his body like a horrific lamp from inside out.   
The flames seemed to accumulate in his abdomen as it quivered and swelled violently, knocking the dancer to his knees. He looked like he was howling to some unnamed forgotten god for mercy even do he spoke nothing. This process undoubtedly caused him pain. Dream sigils accumulated round him, soaking thru his body violently expelled . Finally they congealed and his form lightens up . Shielding his ayes Grimm payed witness to a translucent form visible for a few seconds, during the dream explosion. His dancer, maimed and covered in scares, cradling the Grimm child in his arms shielding it from sight and harm. Something in the world moved in that moment, a track was flipped, and the cold space in his chest that had nothing in it , filled up even if a little bit. 

When the brightness subsided the knight was lying on the ground unconscious, his flesh still flowering up whit red from within. Carefully, reedy to slink back in to the shadows if anything were to go awry Grimm steeped forward. Bending down before the unconscious form, he slowly placed a hand on the whit mask, caressing it gently checking the sleeping mind. Hoping this process didn't brake his dancer, as it looked quite violent.

What he found was broken, yes. Sad, scared and moving by sheer stubbornness... and love combined.  
That and a ludicrous abundance of hope that shone so bright in his mind it was intoxicating to witness and bask in. He alowes those emotions wash over him, take him like they were his own for a moment. The knight loved for this land, the bugs in it and hoped to save as many as he cud. So heroic. It makes something tingle in the troupe master, a deep romantic urge. Especially once he felt the passionate fiery flame of love for himself. Tempered and unsure. So innocent in its existence. yet so warm and bright it cud blind.

Now there first dance made sense, the knights hart was old enough to know the flame of passionate love but his body was just now keying in to that desire, and was quite understandably confused. But a lack of guidance cud be quickly fixed by an eager teacher.   
Speaking of the body, Grimm slides his hand down the bugs black neck and under the rat cloak , down the arm and on to his side and abdomen. Now he not only saw the swell but felt the child inside wiggling. It recognized him. Stretching out his power he sensed the Grimmchild charm was indeed there but instead of projecting a child outside of it, now the void made a body a round it. This little one feat already so different. Yes it was still hollow in the seance all children are, but already developing its own mind not influenced by memories of previews generations seeping in to it.   
Grimm relay didn't know what to think of this. Nothing in his previous life's prepared him for THIS. A part of him was oddly giddy , like an old dream fulfilled. Was it something his predecessors wanted? And at the same time there was a sea of voices in the back of his head, that screamed to end this abomination. The ritual was tainted and its best to cut it short than allow it to fester.  
His musings were cut short when he felt a slight flutter under his fingers and the knight gave a long unconscious purr.   
Grimm smiled, shaking of the echoes of voices in his mind. He made his decision. Lifting the knight that instinctively curled in to his warmth the troupe master proceeded to the nearest safe bench. Burning any corrupt bug as it got in to the line of sight whit out even a tough. He was after all caring a precious cargo , and no riff raff would interfere whit that.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This ones short , but i want to hear from you guys, who do you think will find Ghost in fog canyon?

The next time ghost awoken he was laying on something soft. It curled a round and tickled him on the neck, still it was warm, and pleasant. So the knight instinctively snuggles deeper in to it. It even had a familiar scent, one he cuddly quite pin point. But it felt like the smell encouraged him to sleep and dream.   
Reedy to fall back to sleep he herd a soft chuckle witch in turn put him on instant alert. Retching back to grasp his nail, he noticed it wasn't there. Nothing up to this point felt quite as stressful.  
Within seconds he was ready to fire off a vengeful spirit blast , that is until he saw the person siting next to him. Head propped on one hand steering him down, whit a bemused predatory smile. Red ayes half lidded, lighted up whit a hidden fire. 

A shiver ran down Ghosts frame and then he realized the troupe master didn't haw his signature red cape on. He sat there before him, smooth red wings on display, the think frame of his body exposed. As if sensing the knights gaze rooming , he switched positions to one that would allow a better look . While Ghost know nearly nothing a bout physical desire, he cud tell right away the crimson bug was showing off.   
Then his void hands fell on to the soft blanket he was snuggling in to not a moment a before, and horror dawned on him. Now he knew where the feeling of familiarity came from.   
‘I haw to say, you look quite fetching in my colors. Even more so when there my clothes. ‘ Grimm purred and Ghost immediately felt hot, all over. He didn't haw his writing tablet whit him. His bag and nail were hidden somewhere close but his brain cud not scramble a coherent tough pattern for long enough to localize them. Voiceless and defenseless he just tried to pretend and look unfazed. 

Grimm toke that as a Q and crawled a bit forward until his body loomed over them. 

In that moment being voiceless didn't mater, because the lost prince wouldn't even know where to begin forming words. A slander dark hand grabbed him by the tip of the mask and raised it up just enough to uncover a void mouth under neath it .

The smaller bug was no stranger to improvising and learning new tactics, but this time for some reason his body was shaking as he raised a hand to put it on Grimm's side, trying to adapt a dance stance to this position. This seamed to thrill the older bug as he all but pushed Ghost on to the flat bench whit a hungry growl. 

His void hart hammers in his chest, so hard he cud only breath in shallow gasps.   
A haze fell over his mind as his body took to moving on its owe accord. Torso moving upwards, legs slightly speed to accommodate the form crawling over him. 

Ghost was drowning.  
And he was loving it. 

Black claws raked down his form, from the side of his white mask , down his neck. He cud feel the shiver and the sting of there movement. And then they got to his abdomen and pressed down ever so slightly pricing his flesh. 

What happened then was like a sudden whip lash.  
His mind cleared, and nearly instinctively the submission he displayed hardens. Reformed in to survival mode. Nearly whit out thinking he headbutt's the older bug whit all his strength. Grimm flew back falling from the bench holding his face, hissing in surprise and anger .  
The Knight didn't bother to think of a conversation to save this situation, all he knew was there was a stinging line just over his baby made by Grimm's claws. When he jumped off of the bench he discovered his sack and nail left to the side. Grabbing them he shadow dashed towards the exit of the tunnel. Swift rustle of movements behind him keying him in to the fact that Grimm was already recovered and on his tail. He jumped and bolted scrambling for safety nearly blindly. He had no destination in mind he just wanted distance between this danger and his unborn.   
His steps took him in to the fog canyon. Only once surrounded by exploding bubbles did he give himself enough time to understand...he made a terrible mistake.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Since a few ppl said there like my art , I do haw a ko-fi account where i keep my best Hollow knight drawings ( Ko-fi.com/reginaofterror ) right now im experimenting whit a human type hybrid desinge for hollow knight characters, hope you like it.

Nightmare stared frozen thru his vessels ayes. The Wyrms spawn was pregnant whit his..but how?  
It seamed like the goal of this accursed family was to subvert his expectations, at every turn. There is a deep ache in him, it starts up where his hart would be and then emanates to engulf his mind along whit the rest of the body. Phantom pain, that comes whit broken bones, worn out joints and tired muscles. Its the pain of a body that has been use in the performance arts for way to long. The stage is a cruel and demanding mistress.

He remembers 

Closing his ayes he dreams of a day long since past.   
Nightmare sees himself   
Siting in front of the mirror he shivers huddling in to a small ball. Its raining outside. Everything in his body hurts today, even do he maintains his shell whit cosmetics and his insides whit teas and supplements he feels the years weight on him. As a servant of the hart he will always look the part , but as a bug that agreed to the contract…  
His hand fells on to the charm round his neck, Displayed whit pride and signifying his wiling servitude.  
As a mortal bug he was burden whit the knowledge that it was time to bear a child to replace him. A new agile and strong flame to amaze and bewilder audiences in kingdoms yet undiscovered.   
He sighs, this weights heavy on him, because Nightmare truly loves his job and he doesn't see a life beyond it. What life cud come close to compere to a life in the center of the stage?  
Wallowing in his toughs a bit to long and delving to deep , he didn't even notice a tent flap open and close in the main room and then slow steeps approaching him accompanied whit the rustle of a heavy robe.  
‘ Night?’ That soft voice that he grew to identify whit a chime of silver bells startles him as he turns a round and pears straight in to the pale ones black ageless ayes.   
‘ You said you wouldn't come here tonight?’ Nightmare fires back . It was unwarranted harshness but he didn't feel like disappointing a lover this night. His pride already aches alongside his body. The troupe master didn't know if he cud survive an aching soul to accompany it.   
‘I...the burden, it proves to grate for this night..i did what was asked of me and left.’ The king admits casting his ayes down. He looks guilty, then again its a warranted state for a man that refers to spending time whit a wife once loved as 'doing what was asked of him' Nightmare thinks. The king hailed as a god seamed to haw a soul that hurt in a way all to similar to that of a mortal. Except he didn't know how to present nor dissect tows foreign emotions. And the bugs surrounding him, wiling to hollow themselves in to drones only to be close to his light. Well it wasn't surprising why the king stooped appearing in public. It was even less surprising he was dawned to the red light.  
He wanted to live not just to exist.  
Or so he theories. His hubris isn't big enough to assume he knows what it is that sites in a mind of a god. 

Nightmare hummes a bit before placing his slim hands on both sides of the white bugs face. He draws in like his a bout to kiss away the memory of the kings wife from his lips.   
The king closes his ayes and relaxes when the red jaws unhinge and and flames erupt from the pale mind.  
Nightmares, fears and doubts, heavy emotions, waves of sadness and regret. All burned away, feeding the hart. By the end of it, there both on the ground dazed, but only the troupe leader hears the deafening rhythmic beating in his head.   
\----  
The Nightmare king ponders , did the Wyrm even haw a hart? At this point it felt like not thinking he felt a victim of hubris was in fact his hubris showing. A cold hand clasped at his robe, the shell that no longer contains a physical hart, yet still has the gall to hurt.   
\----  
‘Heavy burden in dead...your night will be peaceful tonight king...’ Nightmare answers as he watches the monarch rise to his legs and regard him whit...what was it? He remembers the look in tows dark ayes but not the name of that feeling, yet it makes him..mournful.   
‘Whit you at my side it will be..’ Oh how sweet the white one cud be. Asking whit the innocents of one suffering from virgin love.   
‘Do you relay expect me to stand an all night vigil over your dreams dear one? I do haw a preference tomorrow. ‘ He teasesd him as if there were equals.   
‘I only wish for a warmth besides mine’ Soon he would understand this need for warmth, when he felt the coldness of the white palace for himself.   
‘...that one I can accommodate...’ Nightmare agrees after a moment, if only because a part of him prefers to be distracted than wallow upon his fading flame. He stands up and lends a hand to the smaller bug and they both walk in to the side alcove filled whit pillows and red lanterns.   
‘You look lovely in red’ He jokes cracking a smile as the kings white robe is painted by the harsh light. The shorter bug figets and after a moment drops his robe to the ground whit eas. it must haw been unclasped already. Arms down, body exposed its like his basking in the warmth of the flames in the room. Magnificent sight.  
‘I don't think anyone can look better in it than you ..’ He exclaims after a moment when Nightmer sheds his own cloak. they sit side by side whit one another at peace whit nothing to cover there true form.  
‘ obliviously, but ones mate draped in there colors is always an exquisite sight. ‘   
The king froze for a moment.  
‘Is that what you see me as? A mate?’ it was disbelief, that he remembers, but no longer dos Nightmare trust his memory to think it was a good one.   
‘Haw we not sheared enough nights to be south?’  
‘When I first procured your services you told me I would ever be just a client.’ The pale one points out.  
‘And then you caught me feeding on your nightmares’ he fires back.  
‘...What dos that haw to do whit this?’  
‘All of it, from that moment on when you knew and willingly came back this dynamic shifted. You accepted me pale one, and while I am not obligated to reciprocate, I feel its only fair to accept you in the same way. No Questions asked, no need to understand every small bit of you, you are what you are and I take that for what it is. I do not ask for you to change nor fit my understanding , for i will never change nor will i be inclined to explain all that i am. ‘  
‘It's an odd for of worship you describe Night.’ The king states bewildered and Nightmare erupts whit laughter.  
‘Years in your palace has warped your mind to what a true lover is. The only worship I will bestow upon you is in bed. And even then your not immune to criticism.’ The red bug smiled flirtatiously ’Do I might be a bit more lenient in the bed sheet if I see your trying your best’   
For a moment he saw the pale one blink and then fume slightly before bursting in to laughter.  
Even so far away in the past in his memories Nightmare still can recall that twinkling laugh. He felt so privileged being the one to get it out of the king. To be one of a few to ever make him lover his defenses like that.   
Where the nearing loose of his old life killed him, an promise of a new one open..perhaps whit somebody that he can keep happy.  
Performing for one person didn't seam so bad if you cud hear them like this. 

Now he knows he was being naive. 

But back then…

A month in, his heat struck, and while he was normally content whit suffering alone, this time there was somebody there,one who offers him his whole attention and whole of himself.   
He was taken out of the safety of his red room , placed on silky white sheets and devoured by a god.   
\---  
Nightmer was so entranced by his past memory, rediscovered he didn't even stoop to consider this was leeking from his vessel. The memories sealed whiting flesh and blood were seeping out in a steady stream and the person on the other end saw glimpses of them as well.


	15. gif

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully this works, cuz i wanted to give you guys something for all the lovely comments. But recently i find reposing gifs anywhere tricky as hell itself.

https://kazytka.tumblr.com/post/187116363227/im-pushing-it-and-idc <-in case the gif dosyn't show up


	16. Chapter 16

Ghost wondered the fog covered canyon in an increasingly paranoid mode. Every part of him was on edge prepared for the sudden appearance of the troupe leader. Every rustle of foliage caused by a floating squid, every squeak of a exploding bubble. Do the road was suspiciously devoid of more troublesome mobs. Guilt over this situation was weighting him down almost like a counter balance , he should haw stayed and somehow talked to Grimm. This was after all a new development. Last time something of script happened he found he cud banish the troupe from Hollownest. Not that it made any difference . His hart ahed at that memory . He hoped dear Brumm would find peace in Dirtmouth. And almost envied the bug amnesia. A common ailment it seamed. Do perhaps not a bad one the knight thinks.   
Quirrel seamed to be one of the few tormented but that was because at the end he remembers. How many bugs did he meet on his travels that were miserable because they couldn't forget something and move past it.. How miserable was he? It wasyn't like this was whit in his powers, but he had to wonder would this place be better off if some unknown god just wiped away all there memories and sorrows? Let everyone start a new? Manage there sorrow for them. Toughs bear down on him whit an eerie orange glow.   
A new voice in his head reminded him ever so bitterly that even when he didn't remember he wasn't happy, something was pushing him onward. Same As Quirrel, the mind might not remember but the hart knows. And even when its painfull one needs to learn how to manage there problems not deny them.   
Shaking his head Ghost Thinks to himself frustrated.   
Why in Abyss name is his brain propping up all this? It literally helps nobody! It's like theirs somebody in his head.  
He jumped down from a ledge and walked forward until nearly colliding whit a stone pillar. Looking upwards Ghost noticed he was at the great library of Monomon. Perhaps the biggest monument to memory in Hollownest besides the statue for the Pure vessel in the city of tears. And yet unlike most in the nest it wasn't tainted by sorrow. It was peaceful.   
He pauses.   
Quirrel felt the same way before he…  
No mater how many times he saw it happen, it always felt like a surprise. Why would somebody at peace do something like that?   
He relay wanted to know.   
To understand.   
Maybe then it would finally stop hurting and haunting. This and so many other things.   
His plan was buckling under the weight of unknowns and even do he knew he has no choice and has to be strong. It felt like something is dragging him down.   
Ghost needed answers, something. anything to fill in the gaps. To give him a bit more control over this thing.   
And then it clicked.   
Every answer he needed was in the archives, in the mind of the dreamer. He cud talk to lady Monomon uninterrupted!   
Then a shiver went thru his shell. A violent whisper reminds him If he dose this..if Quirrel is in front of the building. This will more likely than not seal his fate.   
Doubt and fear were like a growing cotton ball in his throat.  
He didn't need to breath yet he felt like he was suffocating.   
Feeling he needed to get his bearing he sat down and curled in to the wall and the surrounding foliage. Trying to make himself as small as he cud be, pushing away the feeling of somebody looking down at him whit malice . concentrated on the meditation techniques showed to him by the nail masters.   
Do it wasn't easy, once his brain stooped struggling against him, Ghost cud begin to slowly painstakingly detangeld his mind from the invasive vines of negative toughs, to find a peaceful trance like state. How long he was in it recovering was hard to say, but the bug that decided to poke his mask , was weary lucky to avoid his instinctive nail swipe.   
\----  
Quirrel never felt quite as appreciative towards his quick reaction time, as he did narrowly escaping his friends blade.   
The pill bug just knew that if Ghost hurt him like this, the poor boy would be devastated. And there was also the fact that the former assistant quite liked hawing both hands. But it came second at best.   
‘My friend it's me! Calm down! ’ He pleaded. Thankfully it didn't take long for the knight to snap out of it. A second after that Quirrel was swiped in to a bear hug by a devastated mute bug, and promptly examined for missing parts . He cud only assume his friends frantic miming was a way of inquiring if his okay.  
‘Ghots, its okay, its okay. Calm down, I haw all the essential parts attached. See? Two hands, two legs.. everything's fine’ He spoke gently taking note of the bugs shivering form. ‘Hey..hey look at me..Ghost..look at me ...its okay...listen to my voice, breathe whit me. Innn...out...innn...out...’ The archivist grabed the void bug by the arms , gently rubbing them thru the cape until he felt the shivers subside.   
‘You okay budi?’ He asked finally when they calmed down. And the knight just hugged him. This time gently and whit out urgency .   
‘Naww I'm happy to see you again to, friend. Did you by any chance come to speak to lady Monomon?’   
The pill bug asked, once the other finally let go. Ghost makes a distressed noise but nodes.   
Now that Quirrel had a fairy good grasp on what a mind set he would haw if Monomon died. The archivist was capable of putting together a fairy realistic estimate of what occurred in the previous time lines. He didn't expect to haw to address it so fast, but it felt fair. A soft tap from his lady's mind towards his own, only confirmed it.   
‘...I didn't read so far ached in your journal..but I'm guessing after this part of my journey I did...something you did not approve of, yes? Something ...final in nature?’ He tried gently.   
The knight made keening sound and turned away.  
‘...I'm sorry. I...I can only imagine why I did it. But I know that if any version of me realized quite how match it would hurt you...they would be sorry. I guess I was so focused on looking and writing my own story I forgot I sheared it whit somebody ells...’ Oddly enough he almost felt Monomon emanating regret as well. So maybe they were both a bit selfish back then. But being wrong once didn't mean they had to continue down that path, right?   
This time a round Ghost dug up his writing tablet and answers  
‘Don't apologize, you had the right to decide how to find your own peace. It's not your fault i couldn't cope whit it.’ Quirrel might haw had, a temporary but surprisingly strong need to slap anyone that told him that vessels were unfeeling and empty after that statement. Do he didn't relay know if that was HIS feeling.   
‘I know...but I sincerely doubt in any world Id wanted to consciously hurt you. And its that part I'm sorry a bout.’  
‘ I missed you.’ Then and now.  
‘I can only imagine how lonely it must haw been.’ He answers feeling bad, after all whit Monomons mask he was never truly alone, unlike the void bug. ‘Ah but… For what ever it's worth, I'm done whit wallowing in my despair. And I will gladly aide you in your quest...if..you'll haw me that is.’   
Ghost looked at him for a long bit.  
‘It wont be easy’   
‘The worthy things in life, rarely are friend.’  
‘Then I would be honored – friend’   
Even do Ghost didn't get any new answers from this talk, he somehow felt that the unknown wasn't quite as scary for that moment.   
A part of him even began believing again, he cud do it. 

From afar off distance the pair was watched by scarlet ayes. Unamused by there closeness. Grimm didn't dear to come closer to the dreamers lair. She was undoubtedly already aware of his presence. Coming any closer might just prompt an intervention, same as she did when the Radiance made a move towards his dancers mind. And relay he didn't need that type of an audience . Not now any way.   
His little mate was safe. Even if they were in the arms of a overly touchy bug, he cud see from a distance, this one would take care of them. It hurt the troupe masters non existent hart to see them in a state of profound distress.  
Even more so when they knew they caused it.   
If it wasn't for Nightmares visions he would haw pursued the void vessel until he forced him...well he didn't quite know to what. Only that his emotions ran high and hot at the time.Like a possession they drove the body and only it forward. But then he was force to sit and pay witness somebody else life unfold before him and feel there regrets. It doused his inner fire. From that point on even do he found his prey, Grimm decided on keeping a distance. Riding the path ahead of some unwanted pests as a clumsy unspoken apology, but giving them there space.  
What an awful feeling it was, to want to help and yet know you are a part of the problem.   
It was even worse now that Grimm knew it was time to leave and not see them for how ever long it takes. Especially sync they were so close, if they cud just talk. Maybe he cud convince him to...   
No.  
He chastised himself.  
Wants and needs were not the same as a logical assessment of the situation. His mind screamed at him he dug a deep enough hole as it is, And the troupe leader was inclined to agree . Now it was time to retreat and examine. Find out what all of tows confusing emotions were. And then and only then, approach the other bug knowing what he wanted.   
It's like managing a stage. Grimm comforted himself. Improvisation is fine, but you cannot run a whole show whit out a plan of action.   
He watched as the two bugs enter the archives. The dull ahe dos not subside, but the red bug managed to stubbornly bully himself in to turning and going home.   
It was fine, his little dancer was safe.   
It was fine.  
Fine.


	17. Chapter 17

Ghost opens his ayes to the blinding misty terrain of the dream realm. He knew the patch ahead all to well. Even from this spot he cud see Monomons outline. And my oh my was she tall. Ghost was always fascinated by that, ever since he first saw her.   
‘Maybe she cud look the white lady right in the ayes whit her size. ‘He thinks and then laughs to himself realizing that there father would look completely unimpressive next to anyone from there family but the child vessels. Herrah must haw been surprised and seeing him come to Monomon to ask for anything must haw been at list a bit amusing.   
‘Suffice to say your dad was quite use to looking up at bugs’ He herd a giggle next to him . Rising his head up he saw the dreamers form right above him. Faces inches apart, instincts to jump back took flight.   
‘Gah’ Ghost yelped tumbling down towards the abyss below the mist.  
Waking up whit a start he looked around the platform. Quirrel took the time to set up a makeshift bed for him using a few old blankets and books, said pill bug was currently siting beside him contently flipping thru a manuscript. So entrenched it took him a bit to notice his friend awoke .  
‘oh hello, back so soon?’  
Ghost reached out for his tablet and wrote a bit upset.  
‘You friend is weary forward, she spooked me of the ledge of the dream ’   
Quirrel laughed. ‘Oh yeh she dos that, I even left a note for myself in one of the books to watch out , I'm surprised her ghost pardon the wording, didn't jump out to scare me at some point’   
‘Oh she did that to me before, her and the rest of the dreamers...’That wasn't fun by any definition of the world known to the vessel.   
‘You think this is bad, never start a knock knock joke whit her. She gets so entranced whit guessing and anglicizing the whole thing, two days later when you finally stop the research project you realize your still talking a bout a joke. A unfinished joke at that’   
‘...You are..remembering a whole lot aren't you?’   
‘Ah..i think so...no I know so..i Lady Monomon is retreating from my brain...I wont say its nice. It makes me feel ...Empty,and alone, but I think shes making an effort to shear all her memories of me. I...we...we know I cant get back most of mine. But experiencing them from her point is..educational...’He laughed’ I do hope I matured to be a bit less goofy do’   
‘Your not goofy, your the coolest bug I know’ Ghost wrote back and the Quirrel just shrugged shyly.   
‘Why thank you, nothing feels better than an earnest compliment from a friend. so..ah what now?’  
‘Now I try again, can you um grab me before I fall to the ground?' It felt nice to not wake up bruised and cold from the floor.  
‘No problem, that's why I got all the pillows and blankets I cud find...’ Quirrel poke/petted a small squid floating by, one that nuzzled him affectionately like some sort of pet.‘ The ones not infested whit squid lings that is’ He aided while his ayes smiled.

Ghost couldn't put to words how happy he was seeing Quirrel like this. Yes he grew to know and love the ever thoughtful forgetful bug whit an philosophical nature. But this Quirrel was feeling younger by the second. Curious like a grub , optimistic and loving. Not weighted down by years of sorrow. He had hope, and it made a world of difference.  
The knight strode up whit a strong resolve to not make a fool of himself again, and reunite two dear friends. The path was clear and his goal set.  
His nail struck the tank and a wave of light send him right back in to the dream space accompanied by a cheerfuller ‘See you soon friend’   
Nearly immediately the knight stood face to face whit the squid lady. She must haw been waiting for him.   
‘Oh I am so sorry for before...i just got sooo excited. Are you okay? Whats the process of re entering the dream space like for void creatures?’   
While at no point Ghost doubted Monomon was sorry and she didn't haw ill intent, even do the apology seam to pass him by like a bullet in lue of a cascade of Questions. He also knew deep down he wont be waking up any time soon. Whit a sigh the knight sat himself down a bit further down from the edge and decided to entertain the curiosity of his new companion. After all how many questions can a put together adult haw?

Quirrel was humming happily going thru book after book and then rediscovering the preserved water scrolls. Once it got a bit colder he snapped out of it, only to come back . Tuck his friend in under a blanket and then leave again to continue rummaging. He was relay happy. Like he wasn't in a long time. Not to say the journey didn't excite him , or that he regretted it. By no means. But all things considered. Working here now made him so content that under normal circumstances head probably never leave.Or was it a new sentiment for him? His hands drop to his side, he made a mental note to ask Monomon where exactly this idea to travel came from.

And then it happened. You cud blink and miss it . But years of survival had honed Quirrels attention to detail. A sharp moment reflecting in the tubes. to fast for a squid or an explosion from the charged luma fly. No he knew that movement pastern do he saw it only once, his brain made an instant note of it. Last time a bug in a red cape tried to fight him right before the entrance to the kingdom.   
Turning a round frantically he looked down the empty corridor.  
Nothing.  
Cud he haw imagined the red gleam in the bubbling brew?  
Perhaps.   
Well it wasn't like there was anything to steel here. And that ood bug did proclaim themselves to be a defender of hollow nest.. she wouldn't be here to vandalize. Right?  
Right.  
Then again she might be here to pin to the ground somebody trying to unseal the black egg trample. Somebody that's right now quite defenseless and unprotected.   
Quirrel made a panic grab for his needle his body was already making a lunch down the corridor when his hands clasped. Air.   
He left his trusted blade at Ghost side. Now this was mortifying embarrassing.   
So much for listening to ones own advice. Panicking he sprinted down the corridor. No idea what he would do once he cough up whit the intruder. But dam it he would do something! 

Hornet in the meantime was a tightly wound up ball of determination, speeding forward like a projectile. He payed no more attention to Quirrel than she did to the small squids in the back ground.   
Her brother and potential nephew/nice were somewhere in here. The princess was positive of that, all the singes pointed in this direction. She visited the previous flame locations (which she bullied Ghost in to giving her in case something like THIS happen) for clues and this is the only place where she got a warm trail going.  
They were suppose to randevu in the city of tears hours a go .Once she gets her hands on him , ghost is in for a ear full bout standing his own sister up in the rain.   
Hornet was weary much aware of the fact that this was Monomons resting place. And from what was described to her , finding Ghost sleeping next to a gigantic tank shouldn't be as nerve wracking as it was .   
The princess made a step forward towards the tucked in bundle before jumping back narrowly avoiding a pill bug appearing out of nowhere.   
Quirrel was huffing and puffing from the long run but he planted firmly between the red bug and his small friend.   
‘Mam, this is a restricted section and I haw to ask you to leave’ He stated.  
Hornet raised one eyebrow staring at him, her arms drooping a bit. This guy again.  
‘I believe a princess has the right to thread where ever she likes. Steep aside vagabond’   
‘In tows hollowed halls all bugs are equal in the pursuit of knowledge. Feel free to wander the floors but this is a RESTRICTED area’  
‘ I already found what I'm pursuing. ‘ She pointed towards the sleeping figure. Qirrel reatched back for his needel that was next to the sleeping bug. Not for a moment taking his ayes of the princess.  
‘pleas save yourself the embaresment and DON”T ‘ hornet hissed .  
The moment Quirrels fingers grazed the tip of his blade a string tightens round his leg puling him forward and off the platform. In a few seconds he noticed shining silky threads spinning round him reedy to encapsulate him like a roast . Cuting thru them whit a swift motion the bug makes a grab for a near bay wall and then jumping forward whit the full intent to body slam the spider-ling.   
They mist one another by millimetres.  
‘Your fast’ Hornet noted before setting up an elaborate labyrinth of barbed strings thru out the room ‘But not weary bright. ‘  
‘I take full offence to that!’ Quirrel announced pin-baling of the wall to disassemble every barb in his way.   
‘Good, you look like the type that takes up to much space when there not on edge’   
Hornet ducks his hits whit ease, almost frustrating how Quirrel is capable of doing the exact same. In many regards they seam evenly matched in skills.   
Do where the former archivist has reservations not to hurt there opponent, Hornet has non. Witch manifest in quite a few scraps and bruises for the blue bug.  
‘Relay how many times can I say it. This is area is closed off, most especially to vandals.’ Quirrel breathes heavily from a top of Monomons tank. Slippery as it is its also the one place threads cannot attach firmly. His Teachers chamber is a mess of cut cobwebs now, this must be considered an act of vandalism surely.   
‘Don't care ‘ Hornet charges at him, needles clashing in mid air.   
Then it happens, the tank shakes and suddenly the room is filled whit a noxious acidic gas that makes them both quite weak at the knees. Quirrel somehow notes that there being covered in fast dissolving spider threads falling from the ceiling and the fact the princes is now throwing even more on to them binding it over them like a cocoon, no..a spider egg sack thick enough to hopefully last. Attaching it to her needle instead of the lid, the blade firmly stabbed in to the decoration bits so they don't fall in to the acid below. He raises to grab Ghost but then he notices his friends prone form was already encased in a more hectic shelter. Every time Hornet attacked she must haw added a new layer of silk round him. She wanted to protect him not kill him.  
Well now Quirrel felt just plainly bad because it was quite clear they had a big misunderstanding.  
He relay shod apologize once he regains consciousness.  
The lid under neath them squeaked and started moving upwards. And the blue and red bug slam together hoping there shelter holds   
And that's all the archivists would remember.


	18. Chapter 18

Nightmares dreams flowed like a river, steadily gaining speed. At the end of that road there would be a water fall. He cud still stop if he so desired, it would take tremendous amounts of energy and will power, but he cud. Yet he didn't want to. Because in the deepest waters of memory, he saw the happiest days of his mortal existence.   
After there passionate dance the king gave him a free pas, to enter and leave the palace. Do he made no secret of his disappointment any time he did. Cute little pale worm and his protectiveness . Nightmare went away every dawn, and returned every dusk. The nickname Wyrm gave him ‘Night’ felt more like a proper name whit every passing day. He identified whit it more and more. Even the hart seamed somewhat content whit tows changes, like it was feeding on a mixture of emotions. It liked him. 

So the ancient light deduced them. This pale one, welcomed them. Pipe dream but perhaps if the hart and this form joined in one to be whit the Wyrm . This aging body wouldn't be a problem anymore. Maybe he cud transcend this shell.   
That was his motivation for a bit. A selfish need to be adored by the strongest bug there was, and to be immortal. Not just in the minds of anyone who saw him, but in the flesh. 

Nightmare wonders , from the perspective of time, was he relay better than the monster he perceived his lover as? 

Then he meet him. This small little bug clad in white, whit black ayes and an aura of emptiness around him. Yes, he was introduced to Hollow when he was well enough to leave the Wyrm's privet chambers. This was his son, a supposedly empty vessel. And maybe for some that would seam true. But a master of the arts, especially acting like him cud see cracks in the act. Stiffness of movement, chunked shoulders, lowered head. This was a stance of somebody desperately reciting lines on the inside deathly afraid of even the slightest misstep. 

Yes I remember you, scared and hoping. Wanting and pining from a far for a bit of warmth. I saw the same pain in you as I did in your father do perhaps dressed in fewer words.   
I cud not ignore his pain, so how cud I ignore yours?  
Theirs a pang of age old anger and self resentment. You were soft Nightmare you deserved this. 

By cultural osmosis he knew he should not interact whit the young prince. But until he was called out on it, Night pretended not to know. Subtle nudges of approval . An occasional pat between the horns.

The prince was as adorably confused by this as his father was. Godhood was a lonely road it seamed. 

And then as he felt something shift in him , a child growing. He relay should haw expected it. Wyrm's seed seamed far to potent for his own good.  
All that said, as the child grew slowly hidden from the world. The way he looked at the palace and everyone around , but especial the small vessel shifted. Night knows now it was just the process of rose tinted glasses slowly corroding from reality. He was happy to spend time whit his lover and spawn but the silence of the court was becoming tiresome. It was all so sterile in comparison to the circus. Back home he cud join any group discussing anything, and be treated as an equal. Friends and family all of theme. Here the moment he got in ear shot conversation ceased, and if the Wyrm was walking whit him all the servants would do a face-plant so profound he ordered some of the clown entertainers to try and mimic it. It was funny. In a pitiful sort of way. 

Irritating but not that bad at the beginning, mostly what changed was his willingness to spend time whit prince Hollow. Compered to the rest he was a wonderful companion, at list he paid attention. It might haw been hormones messing whit him, but he felt protective. More so suddenly he was moved by an urge to pass down what he had learned and seen. So they usually sat in the gardens on a bench when the Wyrm was being stubborn and locking himself in the labs working until he was nauseous from hunger and lack of sleep. Or loneliness overtook him. 

you can lead a Wyrm to water but you cant make it drink. He joked among his pears in the red tent.

Night found himself pointing out things in the palace that reminded him of something only to spin a story a bout what he found on his travels. As a born entertainer tales often started out slow and maybe a bit non exceptional before ramping up in to detailed descriptions that would move the most derelict of imaginations. Legends of mighty bugs and Gods. Things that build up a soul to a frenzy and leave them spent. Age appropriate of course.   
It was no surprise one day he got so wound up in his tale that he didn't even notice his lover approaching . Embarrassing as it was Night was proud the story was so entrancing the king forgot to scold him for talking to Hollow.   
The prince did noticed how ever, and all do subtly tilts his head to tip off the troupe master. What a sweet resilient creature he was.

Is? Was? no . Don't dwell on it now.

‘Oh..your Majesty..forgive me..’ Nightmare cut off the story abruptly, addressing the Wyrm, who for his part looked a bit startled. Probably both at the formality witch denoted his lovers displeasure, and because his childish curiosity hated cliff hangers.  
‘Pleas don't stop on my account’ He prompted gently.   
‘How a bout on the account that you need food and rest dearest heart?’ Witch translated to , i will not reward your bad behavior.  
Wyrm's shudders and looks away seeming a bit smaller. Tiredness was weighting on him and you cud see that. But he was still to prideful to admit his body even do resilient had its needs.  
‘Were you waiting to remind me of this? ‘ He asked a bit agitated. Night and Hollow exchanged a look.  
‘Not relay, We were just waiting for you..in general’ Night responds to defuse the situation. One needs to be subtle whit there tired monarch.   
‘..Must haw been a lonely wait ..’ The king looked at Hollow. The troupe master stiffens a bit.  
‘Frankly , as a story teller I cuddly ask for a more captive audience unless it was literally glued down to the ground’ Night sat next to Hollow patting his head. The king wanted to feed his delusion of his child being empty, let him. He was under no obligation to participate in this foolishness. What ever the custom of this land, this seamed senselessly cruel. 

Nightmare briefly wonders, if back then he was aware of the speeding disease would he haw showed Hollow less kindness? Knowing what he had to become. No, probably not. By that time a different type of fire consumed him. One that didn't care for cold hard logic and was all to giving. Love is a terrible diseases. 

The Wyrm toke a seat on the opposite side of the vessel and made a hand motion for him to continue whit the story. And so Night did. He continued, this, and the next and so on. Until he noticed that both the prince and king were stain awake only by pure stubbornness. So just to be a bit tricky he sat down , took the Wyrms pale hand in to his and lays them intertwined in the lap of the young prince, so he can put his black tiny ones a top of theirs.

‘Let me sing you something from the land I was hatched in...back then they called it a lullaby for a stormy night...’ He whispers softly.  
The Wyrm made a quiet sleepy noise of agreement, half unconscious wishing to keep hearing a comforting voice. Nightmare chuckled and in the softest voice he hummed an old tune passed down thru generations in his family. From the land of storm and rain. 

‘ Little child, be not afraid  
The rain pounds harsh against the glass  
Like an unwanted stranger  
There is no danger  
I am here tonight ...’ 

A cherished family heirloom, how cud he haw forgotten that song?   
Right, there was no point of remembering it when in theory he was never suppose to sing it..ever again.

He watched as the king and vessel snuggle in to one another on instinct. Feeling so accomplished. No mater how irritating the staff, how scornful everyone looked at there relationship, and how he missed home and family. In that short moment all the pain and discomfort seamed well worth it all.   
It was so easy to lie to himself, that there was no White Lady, that he himself wasn't mortal, that this one was theirs as match as the one growing inside him .

Then it came out his sister was back, do he did not comprehend the full extent of it. In his arrogant mind.   
If the Wyrm accepted him, they will unite and the Radiance will haw no choice but to flee in to the furthest recesses of the mind once more.   
Only Briefly he wonders what caused his sister to re emerge and why?. He saw glimpses of something gold in his mind .Glimmering . Calling to him. Wanting to use him.  
And all he can associate whit it is the feeling of blasphemy and grate insult. 

Grimm lies in the tent silently listening to the memories of his superior and frowns. He knows that mask. He felt a odd similar pull down in the kingdom. But what dos it haw to do whit the Radiance? The hart dos not speak directly. Its not it’s way. But surely if it shows them this, then it must be at list partially important?   
Did they drag up the Radiance memory back then?   
One more musty secret for this husk of a kingdom to clutch tightly in its corps like grip.   
Feh keep it . He thinks.  
‘I relay need to find Brumm. I can't pice this whole thing together on my own'. Grimm admits to himself reluctantly. Brumm use to be a normal mortal bug. Well as normal as one can be when they woo a vessel of the nightmare hart and actually succeed. Amendment. He was an exceptional mortal bug , as exceptional as his little dancer. Which in turn made him the perfect person to ask for advice.   
Slithering to his chamber he stooped at the entrance, and huffed sadly. His old care taker was there, surrounded by the unpacked mementos of his late parent. Even the air smelled like him, do a bit faded. The mixture of rose oil, steel and leather.   
Theirs a flutter in his chest and he cringes. Why dos this hurt?  
‘Whose there?’ Brumm the ever vigilant, the troupe master thinks whit a smile.  
‘It's just me..’ Grimm comments walking out of the shadows, for a long moment they stare at one another. In what capacity is he there? A master or a child.   
‘Papa’ Grimm ads after a bit, casting his ayes down, feeling truly bad that for south a long time he trampled his own parents individual will, Even if they agreed to it. That he so rarely showed appreciation towards him,t since assuming the role of the troupe master. Brumm must be mad at him. Rightfully disappointed. He was as bad a child as they come. This was a mistake. An urge to flee overtook him.  
‘I'm sorry I...’ He makes a move to leave before being enveloped in a sudden vice like hug.  
‘My small nat, I missed you’  
Grimm scoffed indigently but hugged back. Ayes stinging just so slightly. He relay wished he cud be smaller right now, to hide like he use to in tows big arms , nose firmly planted in the former grimm troupe masters fur Brumm loyally wore a round his neck. It was like hawing botch of them back for a moment.   
‘Your here because of the summoner yes? ‘  
‘Mhym...i fear I...i fear I alienated him.' He states out right as they botch walk towards the minstrels bed to sit.   
‘He seamed rather enthralled whit you when he first came here’ Brumm points out and Grimm beams.  
‘I know! It was so obvious he wanted to burn whit me! Even a blind husk would see it I cant be blamed for...’ He sighs drooping his head. This was frustrating, why was half his brain failing back on what he already explained to himself.Yes this was his fault! but it felt so right in the heat of it...dam...  
‘I'm assuming something happened down below?’ Brumm gently pulls his head up to look him in the ayes. Grimm sighs frustrated and a bit tired.  
‘Mm..i found him...we had a ...ah a moment I suppose, or rather we were suppose to haw a moment when , I don't know what happened but..he headbutted me’ The troupe leader admits whit a sour expression.  
‘I'm sorry I must haw misheard that, cud you repeat?’ Grimms papa the ever polite bug. You cud barely hear his voice crack whit amusement  
‘He headbutted me..’  
‘Oh..i think I already like him’ Now he wasn't even trying to hide his laughter. Prompting his son to haw a second emotional outburst in this short of a time. Why did his body feel the need to relive this ? He already dealt whit it.   
‘This isn't funny papa! He was receptive, everything was working out just fine he..he...then suddenly. And now...point is his mad at me...i don't know why I'm getting over emotional whit this...the more I think of it the more I fell like something is boiling in me. Every time I haw contact whit my small dancer it speeds up, and I loose control. I make mistakes I never made, and my mind is clouded. I know I'm magnificent...but I want to know if he thinks I am. One bugs opinion should not carry south weight and yet… oh dear hart, down below when he hit me and took flight, I pursue him and I never felt so raw I tough this is how I die, and burn papa. I wanted to burn him whit me, I know he would if he gave me a chance to convince him’   
He was rambling and while he registers it, Grimm couldn't stop it. He hadn't talked this match ever since he stooped miauing as a nat. Toughs seamed to spill out of his head, in to his mouth and he spit them out in a rapid fire. Finally he was out of breath, out of toughs and somehow emotionally calmer than when he bullied his mind in to submission before. How curious. If he had the energy, head analyze it. But right now he was felling burned out.  
Brumm listen patiently nodding and humming when appropriate, he wasn't asked for advice, merely to listen and so he did.   
‘Grimm, take off your cape, I need to see something. ‘ The musician asks when his positive his son had finally completely ran out of steam.  
‘Why? ‘ Grimm asks tiredly but obliges like a obedient child. Frankly he just wants to nap, the answer is irrelevant.   
Brumm places a hand on his chest and hummus . It takes he troupe master a moment to figure out what his cheeking for and he almost faints when he feels it.   
That flustering from before. The silent ticking and movement. Something has manifested in his empty chest. And it was moving.   
‘So its true...your solidifying Grimm’ Brumm raises a hand to touche the surprised face of his son ‘ You truly stand a chance to brake the ritual and set us all free’

Grimm's mind went terribly awfully blank at that statement. All he registers was the sudden and quite new sensation of blood pumping thru him and the beating of his newly manifested hart. The rest of the world seemingly fell away confronted by this revelation. 

Fuck.


	19. Would anyone like an ask?

Hay so, sorry for a fake out whit this chapter. But i haw no other way of getting your undivided attention. 

I am so weary happy you all seam to like this story, and even more so that you engage whit me in the comments. All of it makes me feel like I'm doing something right whit this whole thing , you know? 

Still i seance theirs at list a bit of confusion bout some stuff. And while normal if i saw a question repeated itself often enough , id address it in the story itself. I see you haw some Questions towards the characters that would be fun to answer by them. 

So im asking you now, would you like an illustrated ask tumbler bloog to serve as extra material for this story? 

The bloog can be you talking to the characters them-self (traditional ask) , or the bugs that 'play' them in the story (talk to the actors , behind the scenes type of deal ) .


	20. Chapter 20

Grimm sat in his fathers chamber for a long time huddled in to himself and disturbed. Mind still blank . Brumm sat next to him and slowly rubbed the space between his horns to help him wind-down.   
‘It happened before, when the ritual was close to failing , but non of the previous masters got this far. Far enough to able to walk away’   
‘What?’ Grimm violently snapped his head up alarmed ‘You want me to leave? What a bout you, what a bout the hart?’   
He loved this job. They all did , or maybe they just never entertained the possibility of not living like this? An echo in his mind spoke otherwise. Somebody , somewhere once did..but he cant pine point that memory to a Grimm..so then, was it Nightmares?   
‘I want you to be happy, and I can see now your happiness is whit the little dancer, if you chose to leave I will follow, if you chose to stay I will stay..as long as your choice doesn't bring you regret I will never deny you my son.’   
‘And the hart? Wont it die because of this? What a bout the troupe?’  
‘ The hart will survive, as it did for millennia. Before your family was bestowed with the honorable task of feeding it , there were many more to serve and fail it. ‘  
‘What? How do you know that? How do I not know that?’  
‘Your father was a secretive man, he spend a lot of time studding the past of this family, once he made his mind up to be whit you and me. He found out a great deal even how to stop it.’ Brumm's voice was heavy whit an unspoken sentiment. All those years passing by and he was still not over his grief. A past of Grimm fears that on the day he dose he will either do something incredibly foolish or leave them all behind. Its hard to know which of tows hurts more to consider.   
'Then why isn't he here, in person? Why haven't I found anything before? All we have is junk, and a few shatter memories’ Then he stops . Yes he had shatter memories. Something that usually shouldn't happen. He should have a complete set of memories from his parent. Only the emotions were ever muddy and requiring a longer focus time to get. Then again most of them didn't tend to feel a lot beyond the basics like lust and anger.   
‘I believe you know the answer to at list part of this question’  
‘Nightmare didn't want me to know, did he?’  
‘No. No he didn't. There were Grimms before your father that were erased, whose memories are like smoke on the wind , your father how ever greatly impressed Nightmare. And so he entertained some if not most of his memories that seamed harmless. And allowed me to stay, even do I cuddly speak until my will was once again strong enough to be my own. ‘ Cruel fate to be next to your child yet be allowed to wake up and interact only when the ritual starts again, and there days are seemingly counted. Grimm relay didn't want to dwell on this new found ability to empathetic. Was it new do? Or just never used , atrophied like a muscle?   
‘So..what happened to father?’   
‘ The ritual was to far gone, and his hart to under developed to be able to go thru the last task and win. Neither cud he take us and simply flee, do we did consider it, but time was not our friend. There was no other choice but to sacrifice. If he didn't you would have disappeared'.  
Is it fair to be mad at somebody for being selfless?  
‘Considering he cud haw spawned a new one doesn't seam like a big price to me.’ Grimm comments a bit bitterly.   
‘Hart to undeveloped to survive , but developed enough to love his son and spouse . ‘ Brumm explained patiently whit out a hint of disappointment. He sounds even a bit wistful like this was in some form a good memory not just a tragic one.  
Papa layed a heavy envelope in his hands. Grimm would haw recognized that style of writing anywhere. A message from beyond time, space and death. The last words of his father Rossantile Grimm  
‘He lied the foundation for you Grimm, foundations that will allow you to chose any patch you might wish to take, not only the one you were breed to follow. Your future is a gift from your predecessors. ‘  
‘So what must I do to be free? Hypothetically?’ This possibility was a combination, of entrancing and terrifying. A challenge to be meet by a master that wishes to be a legend.   
‘Reunite the body and hart. Long a go the first troupe leader faced a tragedy that broke him. He gave a desperate plea to the hart as he lay there dying. And the hart did listen, it took his sorrow away from him , separated the broken hart from the broken soul so they might both heal. But the soul never accepted the hart back, and over time..’  
‘We grew to develop are own personalities, and became bugs in our own standing’ He finishes bitterly. Was this why there feelings were always so muted? Because they were all born in essence out of an age old repressed trauma?  
‘Yes, the hart did see this and it weepd. For where two exist only one can live and emerge whole.’   
It took a few minutes to register what this meant. But once it hit.  
‘YOU WANT ME TO FIG..hymmhhmh..’ Grimm almost yelled out before stuffing his own hands I to his open mouth, Brumm's placed on his lips in a desperate attempt to help him shush. They both steered at one another for a few tense seconds. Time ticked by and nothing happen, slowly stress faded to the mounting realization of how absurd this whole situation was. Prompting them both but especially Grimm to laugh. It started as a harty sound, then ramped up in to despair before finally finishing out on a few notes a bit to close to sobs.   
‘I hate being this emotional, is this a part of life?’  
‘You learn to manege it over time.’ The elder bug rubes his head once more  
‘I hope so, I relay don't want my mate to see me as a mess’ He sighes’ But seriously papa..i..can’t. I cant win a fight like this . Father couldn't win and he was stronger and more or a fighter than I am..not that I'm bad, I'm just..not as good’   
Brumm smiled. This family and its pride.  
‘Not every fight has to be a outright brawl Grimm. And besides, you will have your mate to help you in this.’  
‘How do you know that, I might have just spooked the living light out of them’   
‘Call it a parents intuition, but what I saw in his ayes was what I felt for your father. He adores you...do it will do you a world of good if you decide to real in some more aggressive parts of yourself. There is a difference between being confident and rude. ‘  
‘How do I define tows?’  
‘Common seance and practice, your dad had the same problem, and from what I understand most of the previous Grimms as well. It dos you no good to live in a bubble like this tent and not experience the world son. Eventually, with enough practice in dealing with the outside world you will learn how to temper your inner fire.’  
‘I don't want to put out my fire!’ Grimm protested. As far as he cud say a life with out his inner fire seamed not worth living.  
'Nobody is saying you have to, but there is a place and time for everything. Your fire is your soul and your drive. Let it light the way to your goal, but don't let it burn what your desire for at the end of the day you will be left whit a handful of ash, and nothing more.’ Brumm explains patiently and whit a degree of sincerity that comes only from experience.  
‘So..balance?’ Grimm cringes remembering a similar lecture from his father ,back then he assumed he was talking a bout his duty as a troupe master but now the red bug has an itching feeling it might haw been a bout more than that .  
‘Indeed. Find it within yourself. And hold it for as long as you can. ‘  
‘What if I fail?’ He asks promising to try but fearing he will fail eventually. How long can one hold up a balancing act any way?   
‘Then you will rise and try again’ Brumm says in a mater of fact way.   
‘You make it sound easy papa... to easy’  
‘It's neither easy nor hard son, it's just the way it is. Life. But I believe that is enough philosophy for now..lets discus what you came here to discus...how to properly apologize to your little dancer.’   
"Ah finally the important subjects..' Grimm shoots back whit a tired smile.


	21. Chapter 21

Ghost was steering down his sibling who despite a difference in size was glaring murder at him. They have been hawing this searing contest for over a hour now. Monomon was currently more focused on taking care of poor bruised up Quirrel who was still knocked cleanly out by the fumes incident. No Wyrms blood to expedite the healing. Do she wasn't ashamed to say she was eavesdropping quite a bit, this was all just so fascinating!   
‘Don't you dear judge me Ghost’ Hornet hissed ‘We were suppose to rendezvous together in the city of tears once you get your fiery snack. You completely ignored me and went off on your mission. What happened whit we will do this together huh ? How was I suppose to know he wouldn't hurt you both?’  
Ghost gestured frantically towards the remnant of the nice bed, now a half melted pile of blankets and sticky cobwebs. Why would an enemy make him a nest? Clearly this meant some form of positive emotions, his sister had to know that!   
‘That means nothing, he cud haw said something at any time.’   
Ghost threw his arms in to the air frustrated. She was just so suborn! Just say your sorry, you made a mistake. Quirrel is cool enough to accepted it! Hornet was steering at him in a way that said the void would sooner turn neon green than she would apologize.  
‘My, my you two have inherited your fathers patience and pride I see...’Monomon hummed. And that was perhaps the catalyst both siblings needed to silently agree to disagree. Neither side would admit foul , but they cud be civil by ignoring it.   
Hornet hyper focused on the dreamer before her, bearing on her robe a blue charm. Her life force was low but she was awake, talking, moving and defiantly alive.   
‘Lady monomon, how do you feel? ‘  
The jelly fish lady flexed her green tentacles a few times and hummed.  
‘A bit more jelly than fish id say, but its nothing I think a good walk, some food and perhaps a soul spring wont fix’ Then she turned to Hornet ‘Your Herras little bundle aren't you? Oh I remember her being so happy whit you...and I can tell she would be proud of you now.’  
Hornet coughed and turned away.  
‘Yes well maybe she will get to tell me that if...’  
‘Oh she will want to wake up trust me on that ‘ Monomon waved a tentacle ‘The only reason she did this job, was to honor the pact she made. A pact made whit the king of Hollownest. Fortunately for us there is a new king now , isn't there?’ She miaued happily waving at Ghost who waved back . Bearing the kings brand, he cud give or take. What ever, not like heed ever make use of it.   
But he relay liked this dreamer, she was nice to him. Like Quirrel. And that meant a lot . This was probably not what most would consider family but he found it by himself and he was quite happy whit the mismatched combination of bugs he had.   
‘How ever I do see fit to warn you...Herra will chew and spite you out if not offerd food upon awakening’   
Wait what?  
Ghost made a distressed move, witch was waved off by Monomon.  
‘It's nothing personal darling, she is what she is.. and after a nap like this her body will be starved for nutrition, Herra always found it hard to think straight on an empty stomach...come to think of it, most deep nest folk haw that problem..oh you shod haw seen her tear your dad a new one ..colloquially speaking of course’  
Ghost dos not like, ghost dos not like one bit. Tear anew what? Hole? Would fit what he new of deep nest so far. Relay shouldn't be as surprising as it felt.   
‘That's true...’ Hornet nodes. The knight head snaps to her full attention give. ‘ We can fast for long periods of time but the longer the fast the higher the probability that the next bug to cross our path will be lunch...we use to haw warnings before entry to our territory, they relay haw only themselves to blame for staring of the path. Relay it was generous enough of us to agree to a stag way.’   
Ghost picked up a stone tablet and wrote   
‘So your saying the Midwife is a typical deepnest bug?’   
‘oh..i do hope you were nice to her, she was a wonderful babysitter to me’ Hornet mentioned of handed, not relay answering nor denying the question. ‘And we might need her service once your reedy to pop, your egg seams a lot bigger than your hips.’   
Ghost put a hand over his belly protectively.  
Nope, not happening.   
Monomon glided thru the air flexing her muscles every witch way. Twisting and turning her appendages in to the most elaborate spirals while the siblings argued yet again.   
Hollownest was waking up. And its future was looking...interesting. What a wonderful adventure this will be. She thinks petting her assistants sleeping head whit joy. An adventure they can botch take part in! Joy! 

Somewhere deep but not far away, mass of white root began to tingle. They felt it, a seal being released. But at the same time something was wrong. Something familiar hung in the air like a noxious poisonous fume. Flame. A slight once delivered . A part missing yelling out. No mater how tows things fit in to one. they carried a great insult whit there mere existence

Grimm slowly scrolled thru the notes left by his father when ever he felt nightmare preoccupied, whit tactfully was more often than not right now. Notes, drawings and explanations. A bit bear of details at point, but he supposed his father wrote it in haste and secrecy. The same way he is reading them now.   
They were composed in a way as to not confuse somebody that didn't study all of this for the same length of time as he did. And frankly Grimm was grateful for that. This was already building up a migraine.   
A Grimm's life force is always to be at stasis of separated in to three parts. The constant flux of energy and memory doesn't allow any part to solidify and threaten the ritual.  
Nightmare is soul. The father is the body, and the child is hart.   
A typical Grimm has a physical hart up until they accept the role as troupe leader, then it transforms in to the Grimm child charm. After that point the stasis of waiting for a new summoner begins.   
The reason his hart was manifesting back was purely because his connection to the child was cut so it had no other choice , there was most likely a different organ already taking up the place it would.   
Grimm fidgeted , he took being whole for granted as a child, it never occurred to him he lost something accepting his rightful place. Fool of youth, blindness of dogma. Its always been that way, sounds like a lousy reason to die right a bout now. In theory he knew. But in practice. He didn't expect the ritual to literally turn him in to a comatose husk.   
That was all so..mundane. He relay shouldn't be jealous of somebody that lost the game. But it sounded so much more story and myth worthy that his Fathers hart started manifesting prompted by love of the purest kind. Than his, whose existence was prompted whit a summoner screwing a round whit the grimmchild charm.   
Grimm sighed dramatically. You cant haw everything and besides witch ever way you look at it. Sides a lousy beginning act can always be forgiven in lue of an epic ending. Right?  
Two elements of three were now on way to becoming one. If he played his cards right he cud assimilate the soul and...what then? Dam it. His father had theories.   
Undoubtedly the amalgamation would again be a steady creature of flesh and blood unbound to the dream realm. As it use to be. Probably stronger than any other bug , hopefully long lived and viral.  
So he cud go , be whit his dancer, they cud both stare in legends...and he wouldn't complain if he cud fill him whit ass many eggs as he desired, later on when there stories were already immortalized...if they decided to be together that is. Simply good business to leave the stage when the audience is wanting rather than overstay ones welcome. He foresaw a fiery family seating for them both if he had anything to say in it. Pain tore him out of his revive.  
Stupid hart.  
He was yet to apologize and be taken back.  
How distressing, to dream of something so fragile it may not come to pass. Papa helped him deal whit the first onslaught of emotions , to calm him. But he felt it just under the surface, burbling and waiting for a prompt like an overzealous performer wanting to burst out on stage for the world to see.  
'I will NOT make a fool of myself’ he muter's out loud . Once was enough.   
Returning to the notes his ayes feel on a paragraph a bout the hart.

‘The hart is as it is, like a parent it will try to comfort it's children whit what is known to it, from times more peaceful..’ 

huh.   
He never tough a bout it, but. If the hart can only emotionally fall back on what it knows...than this divide between body, soul and hart must be something it knows.   
It is called the Nightmare hart for a reason after all. Wouldn't it be fair to assume, somewhere out there, there was a soul and a body?   
He thinks a bit harder . He knows they and the Radiance use to be one. Since she can't manifest in the living realm it seamed fair to assume she was soul.  
But that is only two pieces of three.   
Still missing a body. Did this kingdom haw something that cud serve as the body?  
He can cross off Wyrm, since he and Nightmare definitely did enough coupling to figure it out if that was the case. A cold shiver runs down his spine, he did not wish to witness more of those memories. Thank you. As for the rest he didn't relay know that many gods in hollow nest.  
And even then the question reminds, what would happen shod the pieces unite? Or better yet why did they separate in the first place? What reason would a god haw to separate a body from soul and hart? Effectively trimming there power to only 1/3 ?  
Grimm wonders for a moment , what would make him consider something like this. Then he laughed concluding the only reason he cud come up whit just like that, would be to receive the best fuck of his life. Body has its needs. And admittedly a soul and a hart might interfere whit the enjoyment a bit, if there not on the same page.   
But com on it had to be deeper than that?  
Right?  
No 'session 'in the world is Quite that good. 

Somewhere in the resting ground , far apart yet close. Two bugs raise there heads to the ceiling. And elder moth hummed a bit and took on to a long walk towards a house not far away. She and zemer had a lot to discus. Now that finally somebody was asking the right questions.


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay, sorry for the wait. I'm back. And the ask is up and runing on my tumbler blog. https://kazytka.tumblr.com/ . Don't be afraid to write in. And most importantly. There are no inappropriate questions in my book, and/ or offensive. Offence is taken not given and i don't care a bout being offended.Waste of energy, and I'm lazy so i don't haw a lot to waist, ya know? So don't be shy to let your freak geek flag fly. Worst case scenario i wont answer cuz i don't haw a witty comeback. Se ya there :*

Hornet was a bit biter over Monomon waking up first. She knew it was the right choice. That it was good strategy to first wake up the list homicidal dreamer, to help whit the rest. Besides how badly would it sting if they tried her mom first and it didn't work?  
This was all logical and easy to understand.   
But a more emotional attached part of her didn't care, the dam plan worked! With meant, she cud have had her mom back by now.   
Selfish. Thats what it was. No other way a bout it.   
Right now Ghost was entertaining Monomon whit the bare bones of a plan he had , rely a part of her knew she should have stayed and helped but right now the princess didn't fell like she cud.   
So instead of being helpful Hornet was sulking internally while externally sharpening her blade, grooving ever more angry that she is not in fact helping anyone whit anything. This is not how she was raised. Taking time for herself to feel bad a bout something felt...bad. A weary soft ‘ahem’ brought her out of that closed circle .  
Turning back she saw the blue pill bug and frowned. What dos HE want? They stared down on another for a longer bit before the traveler once again took a breath and started whit an annoyingly cheerful voice. This is why she had to leave the room where Ghost and Monomon were, to... upbeat. She considers herself a realist and for some reason her mind said that your either realistic or happy ,not both.  
‘Ahem...i..i come to apologize for the blatant misunderstanding before. violence is rarely if ever ,an acceptable form of conflict solving’  
Especially when you loose. Hornet thinks in response.   
The steering contest continued for a bit longer , before the princes finally relented seeing Ghosts head pop up thru the door to cheek on them.   
‘Fine, you apology is accepted crustacean, you can go.’ You Both can go. She looked poignant at her sibling.   
‘Once I get my apology, I might’ Quirrel sated a bit defensively. What was it a bout this she bug that poke his nerves like that. And her brother was so sweet to? How cud they be family?   
He tough blissfully unaware Ghost was standing behind him looking accusatory at Hornet.   
‘Then your in for a long wait’   
‘Don't you think I deserve one?’ The knight made a gesture to say he most definitely did, witch in turn made the princess dig her heals in and refuse. The embers of there last fight sill fueling the worst parts of there personalities.   
‘No. I stated my purpose, you chose to deny it, all collateral damage , bruises and what not's are on you. And your poor judgment ‘   
Ahe shot back arguing more whit her sibling than him.   
‘You cud have phrased your demand differently, and saved us both the trouble ’ Quirrel points out.  
‘ I'm a princes, I came to get what I want, I owe no explanations to se...’ She cuts off abruptly. Disappointed at her temporary lack of decorum. Why is she even entertaining this bug?   
‘Servants?’ The former Assistant crossed his arms ‘You wish to talk a bout owed things? So then tell me what do you owe your subjects princes? The few you haw left sane and alive’  
‘Protection. I protect them and hollow nest. Whats your point ?’ For the first time Hornet addressed Quirrel and only him. He was close to the red line.   
‘My point is I'm a subject of this kingdom, a born assistant to lady Monomon. Witch I believe your father promised to protect upon her departure.’  
Step closer.  
‘Your a stray from beyond the kingdom’  
‘I haw you know i have my own birth certificates to show ,and even if that was the truth, and I was not blood bound to this land, the moment I decided to settle here I shod be under your protection.’ Quirrel points out, rather smugly. He never ever mouthed off like this to anyone in his youth. But he gained quite a bit of confidence in his travels. Haggling whit caravans relay puts ones skills to the test. Hornet was showing tale tell singes of a merchant running out of patience. Not that the blue bug was aver he was inches from crossing a line of no return.   
‘Whats your point?’ The princes Hissed   
‘That you are not relay good at your job’   
And just like that he was over the line.  
Hornet gave an angry growl and before Ghost or Quirrel cud relay react both of them were hanging upside down from the ceiling cocooned like an upcoming snack.  
‘Listen to me both of you...because I'm not going to repeat myself’ She stabs a finger at Quirrels face ‘And no interruptions’   
“yes mam’ The archivist aided politely, whit jugging by Hornets anger was not what was expected of him, so he wisely slunk in to the cocoon as deep as he cud.   
‘ I general can't say my life isn't stressful. No complains I chose this. ‘She answers focusing on her breath’but...’ The princes makes a grab for botch Quirrels antenna and ghosts horn .' I will not be apologizing for being worried, or reacting emotionally. The only apology you will ever get from me is the fact that I will jump in to literal fire for you lot. All that said, offend me once again and I will show you two what Queen Herra taught me a bout dealing whit disrespect. Understand!?’  
Ghost was relay worried a bout the hysterical note in his sisters voice but what cud he say whit out a tablet? Hell this didn't seam like a good moment to say anything besides vigorously nodding.   
‘Good..your punishment for bugin me is getting out of tows on your own...and in turn I expect we never address this subject..EWER again’   
A new wave of vigorous head nodding. Hornet huffed and left. Minutes later when their hart beat was finally going down and they botch were reedy to discus how to get out, somebody else came in to the room scaring them nearly to death.  
‘Relax boys its just me..’ Monomon giggled ‘Oh I never got that reaction from nice looking boys before’   
‘Mam…. Cud you perhaps..lend some assistance?’ Quirrel asked fighting a blush of embarrassment.   
‘Why of course, silk and bindings isn't relay my thing’ She giggled again ‘ I must admit whit some embarrassment I saw the situation transpire...I'm sorry I didn't act but I needed to collect some data.’   
Ghost ayes her questioningly.  
‘Well your sister is a child raised by three queens , that in of itself is a fascinating social experiment. I wanted to know how all of this prepared her for interpersonal conflicts she cant handle from a position of royalty...my conclusion is..here inter bug skills are rather...dismal.’  
Ghost mad e a clicking noise.  
‘I think ghost is trying to say she was under..stress? Yes stress.. ‘   
‘Mm I suppose...it's better that she acts like Herra than the pale lady when angry. Do a nice in between would be Vespa, she was rather tempered...oh wain, no..hive mind she never had to talk to anyone that wasn't a different royal...oh dear, poor thing was set up to fail wasn't she?..This experiment suddenly got boring. ’ Monomon sighed over dramatically.   
Ghost blinked at the mention of the pale lady . Right his mom. Monomon knew her.   
Once they were safely on the ground Ghost started moving his fingers towards Quirrel.  
‘Oh is that singe language?’  
‘Yes Ghost knows a small bit of it, I tired to teach him the Pharloom variant to talk between us . ‘  
‘How thoughtful...i doubt he'd get match millage out of it do...’  
‘Well it's an US thing relay..’  
tap tap tap   
‘Right sorry for ignoring you Ghost...my attention is yours , go….aha..aha..mm..okay I can ask. Lady Monomon Ghost is curious how was the white queen before her self exile.’  
‘Cold calculating, border line obsessive bitch’ Monomon announces whit a cheerful tone like shes stating thee weather is going to be sunny for the weekend.   
Ghost and Quirrel blink before exchanging glances.  
‘I think I speak for both of us when I say , that's not the answer I expected.’   
‘Nobody dose deary. Then again nobody relay knew her beyond the pale king...and from times perspective I haw my doubts whether even he knew what hides behind the curtain. Do I think in the twilight days of the kingdom the curtain started falling from his ayes...at list a bit ’She mussed.  
Ghost singed towards Quirrel.  
‘Ghost is asking whether that had something to do whit the red fool?’  
‘Oh that ! Yes yes..i mean I was tasked whit cataloging the history in the archives but..occasionally I do partake in other forms of writing, one needs to keep there horizons open no?’  
‘Wait you wrote that?! You cud have bane hanged if they traced the book back to you!’ Quirrel piped up. He remembers bits and pieces of the witch hunt that ensued after that book and do it wasn't a lot what he had was bad enough.  
‘Oh pleas like I would let them. You'd be surprise how effective, in circulating material is leaving a copy in or a round a stag station. Bugs just pick stuff like that up, and go happy they got a freeby. ‘  
‘Why would you do that do?’ Quirrel sounds a bit exasperated and Ghost wonders how often this happened in the past.  
‘I got mad and the pale lady and I wanted to be passive aggressive a bout it’ Monomon answers shrugging her tentacle.   
TAP TAP TAP   
‘Right Ghost wants an explanation and I would like one to. ‘ the former assistant announces crossing his arms.   
‘Mm well I suppose the statute of limitations expired on most if not all my little jokes..so..i see no reason not to sheer. ‘  
‘...most if not all...’ Quirrel repeated dead panned, Ghost placed a hand on his shoulder and patted him. It felt like his friend needs some comfort. Or somebody to hold him back from jumping in to the blue lake. Again. What an odd friendship this was and is. Ghost thinks to himself.


	23. Chapter 23

A/N ze'mere is speaking Quenya elvish ...its just my head canon but at the same time its cannon because all here in game words haw equivalents in elvish . take a look at this.  
me’hon - me hon → our hart   
che- he   
le’mere – le< you > mer < wish, want , desire > - you wish/ you desire/ you want  
Nahio – Na < premision to , twards > hlo < flod > - come flood   
Ai- Q. conjunction. suppose, supposing (”the ’nearer’ particle”)   
Ui- No, its not.   
moina – Q. familiar, dear   
Ul- Rain , pour   
Ze’mer- ze mer < want, wish , desire > -at want ?   
Nemenoo - Neme < premision > no - permission under / upon ?   
Lemba- sad

The Seer made her track slowly thru the catacombs. One would think you need warrior skill to navigate them but a handful of stale tea biscuits served just as well. Offerings for the un-peacefully departed. Slowly progressing towards the grey mansion whit a small tea kettle in tow and a few chipped glasses. Getting up the narrow hole however, proved to be more problematic than getting thru the cavern.  
‘Oii..my old bones are not what they use to’ She mourned ‘I need to take shorter but more often walks’ After taking a sit in front of the mansion the older moth knocked slowly on the door frame to announce there presence followed by promptly walking in.  
‘Ze’mere darling, how haw you been’ Seer asks politely making her way towards the kitchen past the slump but vigilante knight. ‘My word I tough I lived in a squalor, but you haw south a nice hose and somehow it looks much worse.’ the older Moth comments looking at the layer of dust on the furniture. Then she laughed ‘I suppose it's fitting, dust for dusty minds.Who knows Maybe its our dreams that are shedding’ 

‘Che’ has but one dream..’ The mourner answers silently. Seer sighed tiredly, put some kindling in the stove to get it runing and a kettle on the hot plate, before going over to the gray bug and slowly but firmly guiding them to sit on the steps of there mansion. So frail the knight has become it feels like they might brake a part in to dust at the slights ill placed move.  
‘I know darling. This world is a cruel one to our moth kind, whether it be from this side of the bright sea or the other.’  
‘Che cud stand not going home, Ch'e had made her choice and peace came whit . But life whit out her love che cannot stand.’  
‘I know darling I know...’ The Seeker moth embraces the far taller figure slowly pating its white head in a calming manner.  
They stayed like that until the kettle started whistling and even then it took for it to start dancing on the stove in rapid jumps for the seeker to finally stand up and bring it down.  
She put the two cups on the stairs between them and slowly measured out a handful of dried petals before purring on the cool down water and then mixing it all whit a generous dose of honey.  
‘I haven't had honey tea in ages..even longer in company’ Seer mused. Ze'mere accepted the cup gratefully. It wasn't a well advertised fact but they were both in fact moths. Do Ze cud easily pas for a butterfly or any other flying insect of that ilk for that mater. Nowadays rare sight but there use to be more of them back when they lived on the surface. A life in the caverns wasn't relay conducive to there kind. It breed despair and a longing, for clear sunny skies or the radiant face of the moon.  
In ages long past they had a goddess who embodied all forms of light. The warm joyful golden glow of the sun and the serene soft silver ambiance of the moon. A mother onto them all. Where she stood flowers bloomed, and the grey desolate landscape up top was instead a lush garden full of flowers and nectar. Of course most of this happened before her day  
Nobody relay knew when the goddess of light and life turned in to the Blinding radiant light they worshiped. Perhaps the Lady herself wiped that knowledge from there collective memories. Or maybe there ancestors were fools that tough the change in there deity not worthy taking note.  
Any way, eventually they took note of her cruelty.  
Blinding , harsh and above all else heartless. That is what she became. And it was as aw innerspring as it was terrifying. Beautiful and terrible as the dawn! Tempestuous as the sea, and stronger than the foundations of the earth. All loved her, and all despaired.  
Seeker briefly wonders if the bees even remember that time. Did they document it , know something that the moth tribe did not? Lost knowledge, if there even was any. Silly things never had match of an individual memory. Now that Vespa had passed whit out searing a hair , is there any one sentient enough in the hive to remember? Or is it just a tomb filled whit living husks eternally doing there assign roles ?  
Sade state of afairs all of this.  
There god had failed them, and then they failed themselves.  
Ze’mere was for the moths a glimmer of hope. Somewhere out there, there kind did survive and thrive. They learned to live whit out there mother goddess constant presence in there minds. The fragile bloom was to be there massage of hope . Something to nourish the inner light.  
But in hollow nest, instead of seating themselves truly free like there brethren fro beyond the white sea. Most moths sought to fill the hole left by there mother whit the Wyrms influence.  
Foolish, but understandable. His light reminded them of the moon they loved. But instead of leading them in to the sky it led them further down in to the ground until they all stood at the edge of the abyss.  
The soft light of the king and the queen seamed a welcome respite for there night dwelling kind. When the pale ones brought back flowers and greenery, it seamed..reasonable to stay under ground. After all, they had all they cud ask for.  
The sky ,seamed a small price to pay for an easy safe life.  
And so it began. A slow tortures half life ended by a drawn out mundane death. A poisonous legacy of a fools dream carved in stone and spire .  
It took a select few up until the arrival of the red tents to understand what had occurred.  
There lovely lady was still whit them but fallen in peaces. And for one glorious moment they were all back in the kingdom all they had to do is somehow re assemble her.  
But the body was unwilling, the soul was suborn, and the hart was slowly given away.  
In a way this cud have been good, in lue of an old god they cud have a new one. But...  
‘ Le’mere to act , you seam to call, but che can no longer weld her bled , to frail of a form’  
‘Darling you talk as if I look like a born fighter? We are both to old for this. Best we can do is guide the young ones whit our experience , for the first time in millennia all the parts are back at the place they separated, further more the the wielder has returned and he aids the scatterd god. We have a chance my kin to stitch together this world..do not for our self's. ‘  
‘ Che remembers this before, we failed once. What is unwilling cannot assemble. ‘ The white cloth moth exclaimed mournfully.  
‘True, True’ Seer nodes her head. ‘The body is particularly stubborn, not to say the soul isn't’  
‘So then?’  
‘The soul, in it's current state...must die. I see no way around it. Whit out a hart she is but rage and power incarnate, one cannot reason whit that, same as one cannot reason whit a wild fire’  
‘Lemba...’ Ze concluded. There wasn't much else to say a bout it but yes this soul carried millennia of bitterness in it that warped its perception beyond fixing.  
‘Yes it is… but once the soul power has been assimilated by the hart, they can be put forth in a new goodly body. New blood, a soul unburden by the past..and the hart will heal in it own time.’  
‘ Mer, you speak of heresy. What god would accept a burden like a second hart not of there own ?’  
‘One newly born in to the world. Our welder is a child of two gods , sadly not of our tribe no. But gods non the less and a fertile one at that. If he assimilates the light and welcomes the hart, he cud give birth to a new body where the powers can unite. An infant god to rain in a new age’  
‘Mm but will the god be willing?’  
Seer waved her small hand dismisingly ‘If his anything like his mother he will undoubtedly haw many more godlings. All he needs is a viral and lively mate to provide the seed.’  
‘Mecin do not offend the queens and kings family in che presence’  
‘ There is no offence in stating a fact dear friend, not unless you actively chose to take it’  
‘Naite’ Ze'mere sighed.  
‘So will you help sister?’  
‘Let che meat whit this spawn of god, then che will say. Bide him to come in to my dreams. Let him brave the flood as a test to his skill. I will not give my blessing to one that cannot bear the burden’  
‘obstacles aren't overcome just by strength you know?’ Seer seeped her tea. ‘ I propose this, let him awaken the dream nail , this way he will haw to betel his way thru the dreams and nightmares of this land, it will test his body. Your dream will test his soul..and...the other one..may it test his hart ‘  
‘ þáquet’ _ che hopes that at the end of it, we both find rest’  
‘One can dream my friend one can dream’_


	24. Chapter 24

Ghost carefully wrote his name on the bit of parchment and handed it to Monomon .  
“I cannot believe you made him singe an official pardon’ Quirrel huffed setting down three small tea cups on the table glaring at his mentor unimpressed. They fell in to there old pattern of behavior so fast it was like they never left one another side. Qu smiled a bit at this. Internally, externally he still played the unimpressed adult.  
‘Quirrel darling, Let me shear my experience in politics whit you...always get everything in writing’ She announced smiling.’ Saves one a loot of grief. ‘   
‘You never faced punishment for anything.’  
‘Because I learned from my predecessors failures’ Monomon pointed out smiling. Quirrel just shrugged his shoulders theatrically defeated and sat down to address his friend.   
‘Right so..Ghost what was it you wanted to know?’  
Ghost hesitated for a bit, there was so many questions he wanted to ask. It was hard to narrow it down enough to start.  
‘What did my mom haw to do whit the red fool, who was he?’ He wrote down.   
‘He was a traveling artist, quite fascinating fellow if a bit...how do I say it...um crazy...no. He was...divorced from reality. That's the closest fit I suppose. ‘  
Ghost gave her a questioning look and Monomon sighed looking for words.  
'it wasn't a bad thing per say sweety, he was in a way a typical artist so engrossed in his own mind, and the preference he tended to ..get lost in it. In the character he was playing...do..maybe he just forgot who he was after a life only one stage. Or maybe he never bother do develop that mundane part of himself. OR.... Ahh I'm getting confusing let me start from the beginning...’  
‘Pleas, ‘ Quirrel added sipping his tea. Conversations whit his lady always needed a third person to moderate her enthusiasm.   
‘oh shush you… where was I..ah yes. He came to town whit a circus troupe. Steered up quite a fuss to. The boy exude a type of intoxicating hot energy, honestly if he gave the call to follow him in to ascending, bugs would, blindly right of a cliff side. Some probably just to get a good long look at his back side. Charisma is one hell of a drug. ’ Monomon waved her masked face. Ghost suddenly piped up.  
‘ Hornet red me how you described his butt!’   
Quirrel not only inhaled his tea but proceeded to spit it up all over the table gasping for breath while Monomon was positively radiant.  
‘ Oh that was the funnest part to write! I do hope you liked it’   
Ghost blushed but refused to say he found his father lover..even remotely pretty.   
Quirrel gasped and coughed before pointing at Monomon , not even looking in her direction.   
‘Bad. Bad squid lady!’ He wheezed out black dots spotting his vision. Monomon just laughed .   
‘heheh glad you liked it...ehem..any way. Your father was quite taken by the show. I think he liked the bigger than thou aesthetics the boy had going. Made him feel less guilty of mixing whit a commoner. Do one cud tell king missed company of other different than him. It must haw intoxicated him that somebody saw himself his equal and didn't worship the ground he walked on. In fact i recall he actually almost send your father away for being a poor lover.'   
Quirrel was looking at Monomon silently asking 'How do you know all of this?' But not relay waiting for an answer and so his lady continued.   
' There were a few heated arguments in the beginning im positive, a god of a kingdom dos not take criticism all that well, but once the pale king started truly liking him it stooped mattering if the boy was a common bug at hart. The circus stayed for so long it almost became a permanent fixture. A carnival district of the Dirtmouth. And your mom Absolutely hated it.’ He tone of voice suddenly got cold. ‘Far be it from ME, to know what a god wants and why..do id love to prod a round and try to find out. But I know this. Your mom was always obsessed whit the notion of breeding. Not so much raise kids as being pregnant . Thus by extension, she was also obsessed by the only man that cud give her what she wanted, continuously and in large numbers. While I haw no doubt most tough they loved one another..personally when I watched her I saw an artisan in love whit there most exotic plant. I might be wrong do...probably not, but I might.‘  
Ghost looked down. Yeh that would explain why she never protested and accepted there fate so mater of fact. Monomon seamed to read his toughs and reached out whit her tentacles to hug the void vessels head.  
‘For all it's worth non of us tough it fair, what happened to you loot. I'm sorry for all you endured , relay I am….do if you cud answer some Que.. Never-mind I'm overstepping sorry. Am yes the story...’ Quirrel gave his lady a tight smile as she let go of prodding his friends personal business. Not that HE wasn't curious, but manners are a thing and so is timing.   
Ghost was oddly grateful for that bit of kindness even if it didn't amount to a lot.   
‘ Any way, the red bug..Nightmare I believe was his name .. he and your dad grew found of one another..in a warm feely kissy bleh kindow way… and before they knew they had a baby on the way. yayyy...but seriously that got your moms twigs in a bramble. ‘ Monomon giggled.  
Ghost head snapped up. He recognized the name Nightmare. Was this..how the Nightmare king was made? And a baby…  
‘Of course all of this meant your father spend lest time whit your mom...and whit Lurien ...and unholy pact of envy. Obsessive bastards botch of them...yes Quirrel I know I'm side tracking. Concentrate on breathing and ill try to not bring up butts in the conversation. Love you.'  
Quirrel gave a groan but said nothing.   
'Where was I..ah yes… your mom was wickedly jealous, enough so that she demanded the king use that child as a vessel. After all non of you seamed up to par asides from pure ...she dressed all of this in her concern for hollow. After all if the bastard took the void and cud be sacrificed instead , then the legitimate hair would be free of his destiny. She knew that this act would make your fathers lover flee. In fact she said it strictly because she knew he was eavesdropping on the conversation . And, she wasn't wrong. ‘   
“Would father have done it?’  
‘...id like to say he wouldn't darling but then again...nobody ever expected him to do what he did to you...i only know that after there conversation the lady retreated to the garden permanently...knowing her, waiting for the king to crawl back whit an apology and a bastard to offer..’  
‘Your being bias.’ Quirrel pointed out.  
‘Dam well I am...’ She huffed. ‘She tried to play me and the other dreamers for fools , making that announcement in front of us all and the king! A public flogging, that what it was..even Herrah Knew he was there...and then She sent Lurien after the poor boy, right after the king left the chamber. Show of force, a dub juvenile territorial stomp ..and I do not enjoy being put in my place like that. ‘  
'I...did not realized you felt so strongly a bout it.' Her assistant sounded truly surprised and sympathetic.  
‘You think I'm mad...Herrah refused to talk to Lurien even in the dream scape...after the death of that poor boy and his unborn. I don't think she cud disrespect the pale royalty more , but dang I was wrong. This was somewhat personal to her, considering her price for servitude ‘  
At this point in the conversation, Ghost was truly over stimulated, he couldn't write or think. It was all to chaotic . Quirrel trickled in to the conversation forgetting his self appointed role of moderator and soon the knight was forgotten. Left to think a bout all of this. Whit this information..would it be possible to persuade Nightmare to let Grimm go, instead of fighting him? He placed a hand on his belly and mused. It never occurred to him that the dream vessel use to be a mortal bug of flesh and bone. 

Ghost left the room quite positive his absence wouldn't be noticed for some time. He walked our of the library and listens. There was a soft thinking sound pinpointing his sister location to a hidden alcove closer to the ceiling. Slowly he mad his way there . Hornet was again sharpening her blade whit a single silk thread. Or maybe she was sharpening the thread whit her blade? Who knows. There sibling raised an eyebrow at his appearance, Ghost only climbed in and sat behind her placing his muzzle on top of there head, and hugging them from behind, gently .  
‘Did something happen sibling?’   
The knight made an affirming noise. They sat in silence for bit before Hornet piped up again.  
‘Do you want to talk a bout it?’  
Ghost sighed and reached for his tablet.  
‘I don't know what to think...’   
‘Start from the beginning then, work your way up.’  
‘I'm hawing a baby whit a reincarnation of our dads illegitimate lover. That or I'm in love whit a manifestation of his dead infant son that would be technically our sibling. ‘   
To her credit Hornet stops what shes doing only for a moment, before resuming a state of outwards normality.   
‘Power for the course whit this family.’ She says trying to sound unmoved.  
Ghost makes a sad noise. But he relay dos appreciate his siblings stoic approach to this situation.  
‘You want to talk a bout it?’  
‘Yes’ He writes back.  
‘Well I'm listening. Then.’ Hornet responds. At the end of the day, fight or no fight they were all the family they had and they had to stick together.   
Scratch that.   
They wanted to stick together.


	25. Chapter 25

After a lengthy processing period , they finally formed a plan of action. Originally it didn't involve Monomon tracking whit them. But She would not be left behind. In her own words. Quirrel generously volunteered to stay whit his lady and keep her from causing trouble.   
After redrawing a full map of the kingdom for three bugs they divided the tasks.   
Monomon And Quirrel would collect as many uninfected scuttling bugs for Herrah .And the midwife, do that lat one was something that Hornet and the two agreed on behind Ghosts back. 

Hornet was tasked whit visiting life blood arias and grabbing as match blue goo as she cud carry. Surprising enough she was already familiar whit the substance Apparently it cud be harvested whit out killing the tiny things. If you had the right tools.   
And last of all, Ghost would venture in to the ancient basin and retrieve the last life blood charm. He also had a different plan witch involved getting Kin back. A shade was not a soul , it was composed of repressed memories and regrets , an echo of sorrow. But he knew for a fact Kin’s soul was still lingering. All he needed to do is get the body to the mask maker in deep nest.   
Randevu point whit Monomon and Quirrel was the stag station in deep nest. Hornet would meet up whit him at the tram way and they'd go towards her mothers tomb from there.   
‘And this time, you stick to the plan..got it?’ She pointed her weapon accusatory at Ghost who held his hands up defensively. 

Right right, he had learned his lesson. Hopefully his sibling will even out whit her anger once her mom is awoken.   
Whit a sigh and a cheerful wave to his companion as they parted ways, the knight made his way to the ancient basin, and a lonely bench on the presence of a spike filled chasm.  
He briefly wonders why would anyone put a bench here? Was it relay that good of a view to just sit and relax at? Its not like the crystal peak weer the workers would use it…  
He thinks for a moment. Was it possible, the bench was left there to wait for somebody going thru some sort of test? A place they cud rest in? He gazed over the chasm to the unseen shore on the other end.   
He relay did want to know what cruel fate brought Kin there. He was different than most of them. Older, bigger. He must have gone thru at list one molt. Vessels in the abyss were at a stasis point so he had to wonder the world for quite a bit then. Suddenly his head hurts and rings . Like theirs something inside his brain trying to chisel out thru his m mask. It stops as abruptly as it started leaving him a bit confused and dizzy but otherwise fine. Charging up a crystal dash he makes a jump over the abyss in blinding light, stooping inches before the spikes on the other end.  
No way. He is not . Repeat. NOT face planting in to tows again. He did it far to often as a small bug. Whit a condescending hiss he flicked one of the thorns whit his finger before jumping over the step. The patch is dark, and silent asides from the occasional scudding of smaller insects. The road goose far to quickly and before he knows it . He seas Kin's prone body on the floor just beyond the threshold to the chamber. Poor sibling. His head all basked in. What cud he have fought in this room, that did this type of damage? He grew out of his need for monarch wings when he got taller. Yes it would be nice to jump higher but he cud get a round it now , so he saved this whole ordeal for last. Fighting a sibling was just nerve wracking, and it chipped away at his soul in a similar way Quirrel's death did. Now he needed to get to him before this infected life goo did.   
Focus Ghost… he reminded himself getting in to sprinting position. No distractions, no stooping. You need to tackle him to the ground beyond the second gate, before the door shuts. Before the Radienc gets a hold of him, before theirs no other choice but to fight and kill. Charging up, he extended his sword reedy to swing at the living seeds.   
Ghost lurched forward like an stone shot from a sling. Not touching the ground a single time. His speed was so grate, he weary nearly flew past his sibling, thankfully they managed to grab the slump body by the cape, and they both barrel in whit out an ounce of grace beyond the second gate . And as it fell it clipped one of Ghosts toes. Frankly it hurt like hell to lose the tips of your toe but he made it. It made him concentrate on something other than pain. He ayes Kin for the longest of time watching if the corpse would revive. He felt the void in him. Week, fragile and dissipated. It crawled in to the deepest parts of his shell to maintain itself once his mask was cracked. The doors before him ratellet and slide back up.   
How odd, it must haw not sensed there combined presence. The knight looks to the other side wondering if he can shadow dash a cross whit his sibling. But no. That gate is still closed.   
Now he is concerned. This was an invitation to a boss fight. But if Kin wasn't the boss, who was?   
Cautious he stood up, and took a step in to the arena, nail raised and prepared for a fight. 

For the longest time nothing happens. And then when he was just a bout to lower his weapon to take a look round this place the doors behind him slammed shut, and the room started filling whit infection. A thick , heavy whit humidity gas, assaulted his skin, ayes and tore in to his lunges. Before long the whole floor was coated in a thin gelatin's layer that clung jealously to his clothes and legs. Long strings of ooze dripped from his blade. This thing was trying its best to infect him.   
His vision swam as he looked in to the gue and saw it was in fact a mist of parasites no bigger than a speck of pollen, milling a around him. They seamed to burrow under his skin, and in his mouth he cud feel a nasty coppery taste. He started scratching his skin vigorously to get them off, but it only ended up speeding the ooze further round his body.   
The room began to swing and distort as he trashed violently around trying to free himself from this. How dos one fight an opponent like this?! No longer did he knew which end of the arena contained Kin and which was the escape. They were botch bury and coated in goo so thick one cud not see beyond them.   
Feeling sick he drooped to his knees, and that was a grand mistake as the puss stretched out tendrils of infection to envelop him. As the globe reached his face he recognized a shape in this mass. The tendrils began resembling wings, and the boiling ozze beneath him was turned to be a moths fluff , staring back from the floor below straight at him was the Radience.   
‘No , this cant be, you don't haw a physical presence!’ He yells out frustrated whit his lack of voice, for it meant all this was in fact in the physical realm. Panic griped him, he wasn't reedy for this fight!   
She puts her tendrils round his neck, and Ghost can only clawed savagely at them, gasping for breath. She's laughing at him. Squeezing tighter, so the knight scratches deeper in to his own flesh.  
As her parasites assault his lower body he feels them crawling in places they had no business being in. It might be the dizziness ,or it might be the lack of breath, maybe even the child itself felt the intrusion and prompted this reaction. But before he can control it, bile weals up in his throat, and he precedes to vomit a mixture of darkness and scarlet flames on to the floor.  
The Radiance gave a shriek that will haunt him for years to come and recedes in to the floor, burned out of existence. Flames take to the seed like sparks to a kindling. And before he knew the room is engulfed in waves of fire burning the infected critters. His sweating bullets of void that cleanse his skin of intruders , like small predatory spiders letting out void tendrils.   
And thru all that, the vomiting doesn't stoop. He cant stop. The world burns red a round him. Just before his energy is completely sapped , he curls in to a ball holding his swollen stomach, and begs for mercy but not for himself.   
Seconds ticks by as he hears footsteps approaching him , looking up, ayes welling up whit black tears Ghost seas a figure dressed in red looking down at him.  
The Knight saw the Nightmare King many times in his life. But he never looked so tired and sad as he did now.   
‘ This situation is to familiar for my comfort small one.’   
Ghost curls up in to a tighter ball, he can't possibly defend himself now but even so, his shaky hands make a grab for his needle.   
‘Relax , I wont hurt you...on the contrary I'm here to deliver the harts will. It herd you and offers help. I will rid your body of this infected mist to spear you wasting more energy. Was it not for the child, this thing would make you ripe you're own throat out. Go to sleep now . Rest and once you awaken, don't tax your body, it will be deprived of both void and flame, and even the lightest hit will spell death for the child in you. My vessel will meat you in deep nest at the entrance to Herras tomb whit food for the small one . ‘   
It was possible Nightmare said something else after that, but he couldn't tell because at this point he ran out of strength to keep his head up and collapsed in to a Heep among the read flames.   
Last thing to permeate his mind was a familiar sound of fingers snapping, and then silence.   
The flames burned bright after that, devouring every inch of this sick area, seeping in to every small craves and crack in the walls . They wouldn't stop until the place was sterilized and shining like a freshly polished deep dark obsidian.


	26. Chapter 26

Grimm wasn't nervous a bout whats coming, nervous didn't even come close to describing what he fells right now. Nightmare puled his consciousness in to the nightmare realm. He wanted to ‘talk’ , And it was terrifying. To the point where the troupe master actually feeling nauseous. But dam it if he was going to show any of those undignified emotions right now.   
The fact he was standing in front of a bizarre dream scape full of white light, whit an empty throne before them , did not ease his mind in any way. Nightmare was there steering off in to the distance whit tiered half closed ayes scanning the whole place as if he was desperately looking for some hidden clue.  
‘You summoned?’ Grimm bowed politely before his superior.   
‘Indeed’ Nightmare answers and fall silent again leaving the living vessel to sweat . A part of Grimm wanted to out right ask ‘So what the hell do you want then?’ the wound up brash part, a more adult voice in him, that sounded surprisingly like his father whispers ' it's a fight of wills, don't let it get to you.' And so they stood there gazing at nothing and nobody an empty dream. At some point emotions finally drooped to a manageable level and Grimm was able to somewhat relax . He cud survive this.   
‘ So you got the ritual bearer pregnant mmm..?’   
To say that sentence made the bottom drop out of Grimms world was an understatement.   
‘You know? ‘  
‘I'm inside your mind at all times, of curse i know. ‘  
There was another long silence, it seamed the tens atmosphere seemed to be seeping in to this abandon dream as red dream blooms sprouted from widening cracks under his feet.   
‘Don't vandalize this dream Grimm. I don't think highly of you at this point. Don't add to my disappointment. ‘ The flesh vessel moved back startled, seeing what his frustration had done to the dream space. A bit embarrassed by his own lack of control he closed up the crack, leaving just a single red bloom. He felt the need to be at list symbolically defiant in the face of his own death. Because he would not, cud not sacrifice his little dancer and child, And he feared that is exactly what he would ask for.  
Nightmare hummed.  
‘Is that it then? I haw became so like here you'd expect something like this of me?...How...Ironic’ And even quieter he aided’ No wonder I can't find him’   
‘What do you want from me?’  
‘To talk. Change is upon us, it sames only reasonable to discus the new stage routine. Don't you think?’ It almost feels like Nightmare is mocking him.   
‘If this is a bout stage managing , lets discus it like professionals then, not actors flaunting a bout in some overrated soap opera’ He spat. Nightmare laughed.

‘Must be an echo of a memory prompting you to say that...MY grate grandmother led a similar troupe to this one except it was filled whit actors. She use to say that. ‘ He answers ‘Mm she's probably dead by now , its been a long time’   
‘Your grandmother?’   
‘Indeed...Iw seen you looking thru your fathers notes...I know you took an interest in the...Family line so to speak.’ It didn't go past Grimm that Nightmare put a divide between HIS family, and there family. The Grimm's weren't family to him. They were a by product of his continues existence. But right now he was more concerned bout the fact Night knew seemingly everything.   
‘Y..you saw? ‘   
‘Indeed’ He answers once again sounding rather tired and bored.   
‘...So this is where I die...right?’ Just say it you bastard. Grimm thinks.   
There was a long pregnant pause between them, that dragged on for what felt like an eternity, before Nightmare spoke up again.  
‘I hold some sentiment for you lot when your children, you get under my skin and I purposefully isolate myself from you sending you off whit care takers and leaving you whit them until your bodies fully mature.It makes the whole process of killing you later on so much easier. ‘  
it slips out before Grimm can stop it. ‘But why?’ This isn't fair. We did nothing to you.   
‘Because you grow up to look like me. Your made out of the remanence of my physical body, and while it is your upbringing that determines how you differ from me , you are still me..and frankly I hate it. ‘ He turned back towards Grimm’ Honestly if the ritual required me to strangle every one of you whit my bear hands, it wouldn't be much of a challenge , that's how low I think of you lot.’   
‘Sounds like self hatred to me’ Grimm tries to quench the anger welling up in him. This is why his ancestors kept dying? Because somebody hated themselves enough to want to repeatedly kill themselves? How do you become so twisted to take joy in doing something like this to your doppelganger?...He cuddly even think straight whit all of this.   
‘Mm I did not live a life of a saint Natanell, do i... ‘ He was cut short by Grimm finally snapping at the sound of his given name used.   
‘Don't call me that.’  
‘Is that not the silly name the musician gave you? I tough you'd appreciate it after going on this whole..’Self discovery and love’ trip you're on. ‘ He hissed out not even hiding his disdain.  
‘It is, but you haw no right to use it. To you we are all the same. Replaceable pawns in a game that's not even meant to be won , to you i'm just a Grimm like all the others . I don't appreciate the mockery of the one thing that's mine, given to me by somebody i mater to. ’ He snapped, the apathy the other figure was exuding was irritating. He wanted to prompt a reaction, an emotion, something he knew how to deal whit.   
‘Ha...i recall your father going on a similar tired against me...do admittedly he was beater in vocalizing his criticism than you...a cultured man.’   
‘...My father? ‘ Grimm stooped in his tracks at firs confused but then his anger e ignited ‘ Leave him out of this’   
‘Hardly a choice now is it? When he is so important to your current predicament. I also find it funny that I struggle whit his death more than you..’ This one stung.   
‘y..i did mourn him, but it was just the way things are...were...why are you talking a bout him whit sympathy when you say you hate all of us?!’ The more Nightmare maintained his serenity and peace the more Grimm felt irrationally puled towards leashing out. Never before in his life did he haw a problem whit words, or acting confident. But now the rains of fear and anger were puling him in separate directions ripping his carefully composed act a part in the process. He had to calm down, he had to.   
‘Your father, was a remarkable beast, stoic, precise and worthy of being a king in his own right. If I cud at that moment switched the ritual so that I cud gut him and crawl in to his skin...i would.’   
‘Disgusting.’ Theirs a voice in his head that's not Nightmare warning, pulling him back. His trying to deconstruct me.   
Nightmare hummed ignoring him politely, muttering something bout ghosts of suborn bugs, unveiling to rest. Like his not there suffering thru this, The current troupe master might as well be a decorative set peace. Grimm tightens the cape a round him while glaring daggers on to his superior. Was this a provocation? Was he baiting him to throw the first hit? Trying to asses if heed turn violent against him and the hart? What was the end goal of this 'talk'.

‘Your father was soo proud of you...saw so much hope in you… ‘Nightmare continued, his gaze hazing a bit as if he was remembering something. ‘Even when he decided to sacrifice himself for you two, he went out like no other of your kin. I envy that bastard all that he was, and represented. And now I get you. Somebody that's getting what should haw been mine so long a go. I cant comprehend if the universe is mocking me whit this or not. And I think..perhaps I'm no longer interested in knowing if it dose. ‘ He said and suddenly he looked less regal, still tall and imposing but thinner, like a twig in the embrace of winter covered by a shell of translucent ice spikes. A fearsome but fragile image. A far cry from a being supposedly made of fire. It wasn't Sympathy Grimm felt at that moment, nor was it pity, it was more so a dawning realization he stood before somebody that had escaped death so many times. Somebody willing to pay any price including chipping away parts of his weary soul, coming to final realization of the sum total he paid. And how little he revived back.   
Whit that realization it was easier to smoother his inner anger whit a stream of steady berths in and out. He didn't dear to vocalize this revelation, so he waited for Nightmare to start talking again.   
‘If you continue on this road you wont be able to stay whit the trope, the few souls that will live whit your departure will be striped of memory and purpose. You are making this choice not only for yourself but for them as well.’ The red king finally concluded.   
‘I cud still run this place..’ Your threats don't amuse me old man. This tough perhaps more than his out loud statement prompts a swift response.   
‘I'm not threatening you, I'm simply stating a fact..you can’t...because this circus doesn't exist anymore. There is a reason you're surrounded by masked bugs in robes gliding a round as ghosts.’ Whit a snap of his fingers they were out of the white dream and in a different one. Easy to recognize. The ritual cave whit the fire pit in the center, except now it was filled whit bugs hacked to bits, performers, musicians and animals whit shattered shells and broken necks liter the bloody ooze covered floor, between them lay scatter and broken paraphernalia expelled from hastily packed moving crates, what ever happened here was clearly an ambush followed by slaughter.   
He saw the blood and soul trickling towards the center of the room to the lantern, embedding every ember and all of the machinery together whit something he couldn't describe, but it insulted his weary being. This whole scene was an insult and a mockery. It took him a long time to understand tow's were not his feelings but Nightmares.  
‘What happened here?..Is..This the original troupe?’ He asks looking around desperately, as if the story of this scene was to be illustrated somewhere. Answers reveled. But no,   
‘Yes...your families history is a tumultuous one, even before you lot came to exist. We were kings and queens, beggars and thieves. Caste away from the land of our birth when we decided to follow the harts call. But that happened before even tows who I knew alive were alive. What I knew what the endless life on the rood, and loyal servitude among tows I considered a loyal found family. ‘  
‘But you considered leaving them.’ Grimm added carefully not wishing to sprint Nightmare in to a violent frenzy for once . There conversation was finally getting somewhere, but at the same time a small smoldering amber of anger in him desperately wanted to hurt the red bug. An irrational small part of him that wished to burn it all and dame be the consequences. He turned a def ear towards it whispers, but it still tempted.   
‘...I was in love..i tough that I cud start a different family and keep my old one. That was..overly idealistic of me.’  
‘It was stupid of you to thing you'd ever be more than a kings second choice’ It spiked out of him before he cud control it. A silence seeped over them, he cud see Nightmares form get taller and more rigid. And then the dream switched and they were once again overlooking a while background whit a empty throne in front of them. Do now Grimm noted the red bloom was gone. Seemingly plucked from the ground by somebody. Only the stem whit one single bud still there.  
‘Your right . Do I don't appreciate the wording of that.’ Nightmare said his voice wavering and fluctuating whit berry contained emotions before it settled in to the previous monotone. For a moment the ice cracked and he saw what was underneath it. 

And Grimm no longer feared this cold broken creature. He wonders do, if this was the same glimpse that awoke his father to the truth. How bitter did the melody of there existence become.   
‘At any point..one day the truth of this place and this man was reveled to me, and I understood my mistake , I tried to rally them and leave before we cud be seized..we did it many times before in different kingdoms that did not appreciate our talents.’  
Grimm hummed, refraining from comment. He cud see that happening. 

‘But I made one last foolish mistake...oh Hart I was a fool...’ Nightmares voice broke a bit and the air in the dream seem to gain a heavy feel, he cud almost taste it.   
‘I found a child here...’  
‘The prince?’ He recalls witnessing Nightmares memories.   
‘Yes..but not only him..they were locked behind black doors… so many of them dead , but a few there were alive, starved scared and huddles by the locked door separating them from the only home they knew. they were to die in the dark forgotten ‘ his whispers took a feverish pitch.  
He doesn't relay need co continue for Grimm to understand, his ayes wide and breathe catches in his throat at the monumental admission of stupidity his superior is doing.   
‘...You kidnapped the prince and his siblings’  
‘He was like my own son..how cud I not try and spear him..’   
‘ You made a wager out of everyone's lives because you wanted to do what? Give a lover one last slap by taking his children?’  
He knows this isn't a fair assessment, but Nightmares own guilt is possessing him. He hates that his sain it because it doesn't feel like his own words. Only now dos he feel how they are bonded, how if Nightmare was in the right state of mind right now he cud gut him and bend him to his will. A show of force, do and unplanned one, Grimm just hopes his emotions and realizations slide by in the chaos that is Nightmares grief.   
‘He didn't even see them as children, I cudew taken the loot whit out a problem!..it was the prince he was mad a bout.’   
The dream switched, they were still in that same palace like white landscape. But this time he saw Nightmare as a living bug packing only the few essentials he cud , and kneeling in front of a young boy watching him from the bed. He spooked in a hush tone Grimm couldn't hear, perhaps Nightmare himself didn't remember the full conversation..but he herd the most important bit.  
‘Hollow you don't haw to agree to this, I promise I wont abandon you...you can be my family...we can travel and learn together, maybe somewhere out there, there is a different solution ...pleas..’  
The young child shook his head, Night placed a gentle hand under his small head to look at him. Desperatey shone in tows red gaze.   
‘My small hart I understand your loyalty..your love. I love him to. But as a parent I cannot turn a blind face to your suffering. I promise, ill aide you in finding a different way..but Hollow..my sweet hollow, pleas. If I lift you up right now and take you, will you fight me? ‘ He pleaded. All the small boy did was to cast his face down again , but this time his body moved forward to lie against the red bugs torso. Silent consent. Nightmare warped his arms and cape a round him, stood up briskly whit the child hidden in his hands and all but bolted out the room. 

Then the dream switched back in to that throne room again, and the steam of the flower was gone as well, seemingly dug out . The two of them didn't say anything for a long time.   
‘So the king sent his men to get the prince back...’  
‘His advisor did it, part of my troupe manege to get out whit some of the children...i don't know what became of them , I can only hope for the best. That they forgot it traveling outside, forgot and never felt a pull towards this retched place again.   
‘Was my ...’ He took a deep breath ‘ Was my little dancer among them?’  
‘If my memory doesn't fool me..i think so ‘He showed him an illusion of a small vessel covered in blanket egg, sleeping surrounded by a protective seal of binding that was to hold it safe and quiet until they get to safety undoubtedly. Grimm came closer to the illusion and reached out a tentative hand but stooped inches from it.  
‘He looks so small.’   
‘They all did...’   
There is a long pouse after all of this before Grimm speaks up again. His still confused but his voice is cold.   
‘I don't know why your showing me this. Don't misunderstand II'm grateful your actions let my mate survive..but it changes nothing. Your still a monster that murdered all of us. Your not even a shadow of that person your talking to me a bout. ‘  
‘No I'm not. I'm a mockery of them if anything. I was never a good bug, but all of this..i never imagined I cud get like this. I taped in to a dark an d grizzly potential I never knew I had.’ He dismisses the illusion of the knight and looks dead center in to Grimms ayes.’ And never forget, you are me. You are equally as susceptible to this ‘potential’ as I was back then. You .can. Become. me. A Ghost in a tomb full of undead shambling nightmare corpses, of your mistakes.‘   
The air turns unbreathable whit the scent of root, and decay, a darkness falls on them and a red abyss opens up below the troupe master sending him flying in to a festering soup of dead half liquidize burned bodies, to mangeld to recognize anyone in particular. 

And whit that Grimm awoke violently in his chamber tumbling from the ceiling like a log from up high. Gasping for breathe. Something in his stomach twisted. He cud feel the Nightmare king in him, a sickening cold dead weight in the back of his mind, like a decaying part of him he cud not discard, seeping dead mans venom in to his blood stream.

‘Procure the flames from the lantern Grimm, all that would be needed to nourish the child. And carry it down to the deepest nest of this land, wait there for your 'little dance'… and by all mean stop whit the hiding in shadows you've been doing. There is NOTHING you can hide from me... we shale resume our talk once the child is born’ Announces a voice in his head. And do the Kings presence lifts from his mind eventually the cold he installed in him stays. All Grimm can smell and fell now in the once warm familiar tent is decay and death.


	27. Chapter 27

Ghost awoke feeling weak and sick like rarely before in his life. It almost felt like a sudden unset of molting. But no. Still he felt every scar broken bone and dent in his shell. Trembling hands lifted him to a siting position where he stayed for the longest of time fearing that his legs might not support him.  
whit an obscene amount of effort he hoisted himself up in to a seamy stable position . A bench seamed a far away dream like need right now, like water in the desert. He needed also to get Kin to safety, hopefully he cud.  
Shaking his head violently Ghost reminded himself, failure to sauced or to even try, was not an option. he had responsibilities to uphold. Nobody else would do it, nobody else would care. It was just him.  
His gaze pinball to botch sides of the arena, now open seemingly permanently since the metal bares were blacken, warped in a way that wouldn't allow them to slid neither up nor down. In fact they looked welded in to the stone at some points.  
Slowly he hobbled towards the black corridor where his sibling lied and tried not to think how every step made send bolts of pain thru his leg, and body.  
The life inside of him moves for a bit, distressed, weak. And then it stops. And would it not for the stubborn persisting amber in him he'd think its dead. It terrifies him . The fire and void in him always seamed to be pushing and puling at one another but now it all felt early silent .  
The whole process of getting Kin, and going back to the tram didn't cost him any soul but it was excruciating painful to the point where dark tears weld up in Ghost ayes , they dripped down his chine, Whit shaking hands he placed his sibling in to comfortable position on the soft tram bench and fixed his cape almost like he was tucking in a small sleeping child .  
Hed be back,he just had...work to do. Just a little bit more, and everything would be fine. The knight comforted himself.  
It felt like he was ding. But the magnitude of it all didn't sink in until he shambled down towards the door to the abyss, his hands shake ever more as he strode on the edge of the platform, the world below tilting and flexing as if the abyss contracted . For a moment he felt like he was a bout to jump down in to a throat of a gigantic ancient beast . Beryl visible spikes on walls and rocks elongated and seemed to be growing towards him, gleaming and sharp. Reedy to stab at the meager life force he had left to sustaine himself and his child.  
A part of him that was conditioned to respond to responsibility , pushed him forward harsh like a strike of a whip on your back. But a much larger more primal part roared it down.  
He relay didn't understand what was going on. Ghost had made this track , this jump so many times before. But now there was a tightness in his chest, his throat seized up allowing him to breathe only in small gulps . And even do the darkness was silent as always his mind filed whit a deafening static humm that drowned out all toughs and emotions beyond panic. In a way this felt like an out off body experience, like he was slowly being extracted from his own skin against his conscious will.  
He didn't understand. He relay didn't.  
But everything in him, every fiver of his being shouts ‘Run, Run Away, ‘ the last blue charm to open the sealed life blood doors drops from his hand, and only by the grace of some unnamed good doesn't fall down to be forever lost among the thousands of broken shells. Not that Ghost cares he trips backing off ,and lands on his butt, legs dangling slightly over the adage. The feeling of standing on nothing solid makes him screech as he scramble on all four towards the exit. The corridor isn't any better, the walls fell like there closing in on him, everything moves and pulsates, and a sense of paranoia overwhelms him. Instinctively he crawls in to a small alcove behind the stone tablet in front and curls up in to ball right next to the door. Fore some reason he knows this place is there. No question why one of the walls seamed to be made out of something soft covered in stone dust, but still retaining a pleasant aroma, a bit like Grimm's. He just sites there begging the world to stop moving, and the static in his head to stop. to be left alone for just one moment. 

That sad state is how Hornet finds him, shaking and crying , dirty from vomiting void , clothes scolded by fire . Whit out a word she stabs the needle in to the ground, and drops to her knees next to him. Allowing her brother a moment to figure out theirs a non threatening presence in front of him before enveloping him in a hug.  
This seamed to brake Ghost even more as he openly sobs , but in reality it comes whit a wave of instant relief, the type that can only be compered to puncturing a feverish swollen abscess . She's there , Hornet wont let anything happen to him or the baby. He wants to talk so badly at this point. To tell her how he finally understands how this thing in him is fragile. How he feels it's life weakening right here and now, and how terrified he is.  
All of this instates in him ten times the paranoia he held when caring the delicate flower. Because he knew that if this one got broken there would be no second bloom. 

‘Shhh shh...its okay..its fine...i haw you…’ Hornet keeps repeating on a look. And he just wants to scream that No this is not okay , he has to go to bloody Deepnest whit out sustaining a single hit, or his baby will die. And the worst part of it all would be he'd survive and remember all of it.  
Hornet cud not get him to calm down no mater how hard she tried, so she did the one thing spiders knew best how to do. She nuzzled her head close to his neck in a seemingly calming manner, and then whit out warning, she extended a pair of pincers from beneath her mask and applied them whit predatory deadly precision to the exposed pressure points. Ghost shudders violently and within seconds slumped against her boneless.  
‘Im sorry sibling..but you give me no choice...’ She sighs , hoping her sibling will in fact wake up a lot less distressed. Hornet witnessed her fair share of hysteria from bugs lost in this corps of a kingdom. But it was disturbing to see one so stoic succumb to it. Shifting a bit to try and lift the prone body her elbow sunk in to the wall .  
Blinking Hornet puled back abruptly, there were small silvery threads mixed whit sand attached to her hand now.  
What the?  
Slowly she moved Ghosts sleeping form to the side so his safe as she extended a hand carefully towards the faux wall. It didn't take a lot to get thru the papery substance. It was weaker than spider thread by fair .  
If anything it felt more like brittle paper that has been exposed to the elements for way to long. And then it clicked. Moths..this was moth thread. A rear sight .  
This realization was quite unsettling considering what the Radiance was and her connections to said tribe. Hornet looked worriedly to Ghost and then to the closed off opening. Deciding she had a few seconds to spear for a quick cheek,  
The seal gave out easy enough allowing her to examine the smooth edges of the newly uncovered crack. It felt like they were made by a repeated strong slashing attack. Not just chiseled away by some small court miscreant whit a pickaxe.  
But this didn't make seance. Moths were rear, and had next to no fighting skills beyond defensive maneuvers and shields . And a mystic sword attack would demand a wide range, doomed to draw attention even in this forgotten area.  
Examining the placement of the hole she knew for a fact had to lead to the abyss . Who ever made it wanted to avoid being spotted, and executed for sticking there mandibles where they had no business being. All things consider probably the only smart move they made. Who on earth would want to get in to that forsaken place?  
Wiggling thru she gazed slowly a round. There was a remanence of a stone ledge also chiseled in to the ground seemingly by the same forc that formed the opening. Not enough for a grown bug to use...but a child would get out just fine. Or children.  
Th next conclusion was rather obvious . This was how the vessels got out.  
Hornet always wondered a bout that. But then , all of them had to haw left a long time a go , judging by the seal on the exit .  
And yet the ones she fought against were weary clearly children.  
A glimmer of something by the wall caught her ayes , it was small , projecting an angry red light from where it was quite forcefully smashed in to the wall.  
It took Hornet a good few minutes before she wigged out a small charm that seamed to confirmed her suspicions bout the moth tribe. Round and smooth it bore a design that seamed to be stuck between a spider web and a lace whit a bright pulsating ruby in the middle. Equipping it resulted in a small completely black sprite poping out . It looked like a shade but its ayes were blazing bright red, hovering silently in front of her . It reminded her of the weaversong song charm except this thing seemed to be waiting for specific orders.  
‘Huh...finder keepers I suppose’ Hornet mouthed silently but the small sprite picked up on it in an instant zooming towards the ledge and back caring an small offering in his mouth. Skeptically the spider princes held out her hand. What cud it possible find so close by . And then it drooped a bright blue charm on to her hand and she felt a wave of instant protective panic.  
Undoubtedly it was one of Ghost charm, in fact it was the one they needed for her mom...and Lurien, but that's less important. It was so close to the ledge, if it fell down…she squeezed it tightly in her hand and swallowed . 

Going back thru the hole towards where Ghost was sleeping she gazed at him, many emotions mixing and swelling . Slowly Hornet bent over and fished a worn out journal out of Ghost cape.  
‘I'm sorry but..I'm not wiling to pay this price. You obviously can't do this in your state .’ She muttered flipping the thing open. To say she read the whole thing would be ridiculous, not enough time. But the princess saw enough in it to understand that her sibling was keeping more from her than she expected.  
Disappointment , worry and distrust grew and Hornet made a point of ignoring them for the moment, She got to a crude page in the journal illustrating the blood charms and what was needed, there was also a map on how to get to the secret chamber and of the insides of the room.  
Standing up she affixed the blue trinket to her cape and shivered as her soul turned icy cold and blue. Hornet had enough life to enter, and by the blood of Herrah the Beast , gods would kneel before her determination. Or they would die.


	28. Chapter 28

Ghost came to weary slowly , his head hurts , and the wine of the tram intercom doesn't help. He wonders briefly, is there a way to shut this thing down?! Dos the mender bugs even work here? And would they be interested in tinkering whit something more complex than surface level damage, like for example if he got to the cable system and shredded it.   
It took him an embarrassing amount of time to realize he didn't in fact go to sleep in the tram . Frankly he didn't remember going to sleep at all, last thing he remembered was …  
Ghost bolted up right in his seat violently, his stomach rumbled and he barely contained the urge to spill forward from the sudden unset of vertigo.   
‘Relax and lie back down, your in no state to be jumping up and off of walls’ A familiar voice addressed him. Turning around he saw Hornet, she was siting far away from them, legs propped up on the control panel, two blue charms were displayed nonchalantly on the dashboard.   
Ghost stared at them wide aye. He didn't remember going down for them. Frankly the knight remembers weary little since he stood on the ledge, beyond leaving the chamber in a panicked rush. He gazed at his sister worried. Never in his previous life times did she go any deeper in to that place than the door way. Ghost relay hoped his shadowy siblings didn't try to attack her.   
Up to this point everything was confusing for the pregnant bug, but not in any way shape or form scary, until his ayes fell on what Hornet had in her lap , nonchalantly flipping thru pages, stooping at some and obviously reading, so slowly it was obviously daring him to comment, before flipping to the next subject.   
A part of him wanted to jank the journal out of her hands and hiss angrily, the other part was mortified. He never intended to keep secrets a bout his plans from his sister. But the same as whit Quirrel Ghost couldn't imagine explaining to her the whole restart thing. How cud he explain, when he didn't understand himself.   
Seconds, turned to minutes and minutes to even longer, or at list that's how it felt before Hornet got to the end, the last page that contained the tally of all the times he had lost to the Radiance. Her fingers linger on it for a moment before she sharply slamms the boom close . Not even looking at her sibling the princes stretched out a hand giving it back. Radiating no emotions what so ever. That hurt.   
‘Pres the button for Deepnest if you don't mind’ She finally spoke up and Ghost froze, remembering the track they had to make to get to Herras tomb. He accepted the journal but made no other move.  
‘I'm guessing you haw a reason to not do what I asked for? ‘ There was a strained silence and Hornets voice turned a a bit biter’ Of course you do.’  
The knight flinched a bit and retrieved his tablet, he wrote but one simple request and presented it almost timidly.  
‘Can we pleas use the stag station? ‘  
‘Right.... there is one, behind the palace grounds’ She huffs . Ghost doesn't know whether she knows it from his book or because Hornet was born and raised there but it hurts to haw her stand up, confiscate the charms and walk past him whit out even a passing glance.   
He lost her trust, and it feels beyond any form of bad he can thing of. But then again, wasn't it deserved? His head is bowed in silent mourning as he trails behind . 

They beryl exchanged words thru out the whole way to the station. As they passed the ruined gates of the white palace Hornet stooped and looked. It was almost like she was steering thru time and space in to the ayes of an abandoned husk of there father.   
‘You and him, theirs a similarity there… can decide if its good or bad do.’ She says quietly and Ghost makes a small wining noise. ‘ No cos to grate, he'd always say that when throwing armies of bugs at a problem, when sacrificing somebody else , you do the same thing, but whit yourself’   
The knight hand tightens on his cape and baby bump. How can he explain to her that his life isn't worth all of theirs in the end? A part of him is a Bug named Ghost happy to haw been able to experience life and emotions. But even that part is painfully aware he was made to be expansible. His worth was in what he cud give to them, to this child. Did this make him like there father? Did it make him Bad?  
Finally they make it to the station, Kin was fixed safely to Ghosts back. Despite her anger Hornet wasn't beyond helping. Frankly the princes was just indifferent to this prospect. If he wanted to carry a husk whit him, fine.   
They manege to get to there meet up point. It was nice to see somebody actually smile at him . Monomon do a bit dirty f and dust looked absolutely beaming . Quirrel looked a bit haunted and tired but his smile was genuine as ever. Ghost cud only imagine what shenanigans the lady got in to when they were collecting offerings for Herrah.  
‘Hello friends, good to see you, we were starting to get a bit worried ‘ The blue bug came closer and stooped when he saw kin's face over Ghost shoulder. ‘Oh and who would that be?’   
Slowly setting his sibling down he listens as Hornet explained in a monotone they found him in the abyss and that her sibling seamed to haw something in mind for 'it' .   
‘Oh are you planing on throwing him to Herrah? Because I don't want to be rude...but she is not going to go for old meat...trust me I know her ’ Monomon waved a tentacle . Ghost shook his head and toke out his tablet.  
‘Need to get him to a mask maker’  
Monomon gave a joyful yelp so loud all three of them jumped up .  
‘A real mask maker?! His still alive! This is so exciting, I always wanted to interview him! ‘  
‘ I wanted to ask you two to go whit Kin, but its a difficult terrain. Id understand if..’ Ghost wrote, looking to the side towards Hornet who was standing on the ledge overlooking the chasm, her back turned to him. ' Ill understand if you say no, but id like to ask if you cud care for Kin while were dealing whit Herrah' Quirrel must haw noticed it because he gave his friend a worried glance.   
‘My friend..is everything okay?’ He asked silently allowing Monomon to gush a bout meting a mask maker in person. Completely disregarding what Ghost said after that part. The knight lowers his head and gave a rather tired shrug in response. This seamed to worry the blue pill bug , he breathed out a deep sigh and gave the vessels arms a reassuring squeeze.  
‘What ever it is , we can get thru it… I'm here if you need to talk. ‘  
‘She read my journal’ Ghost finally wrote.  
Quirrel hissed as if some invisible beasts pinched his soft parts. He had a fairly good assumption of what the princes might be going thru. After all He couldn't look at Ghost for some time after finding out. Still he did his best to offer some optimism.   
‘Give her time Ghost...this is...a big pill to swallow...but know this, I saw the way you two interact, she will come around...if for no other reason than she is your sister and she loves you.’  
If Ghost cud smile at that moment he would. Leave it to trusted wonderful Quirrel to know what to say.   
‘Now then..we got five bags of small critters for you to ahem..appease lady Herrah's apetite, hopefully it will be enough for a starter. Fair warning do..don't leave them untended, I had to beat off a few thefts already, seems everyone in this nest is hungry.’ The assistant joked .

Ghost never feared leaving kin in the arms of lady Monomon, he gives Quirrel the most comprehensive map of the road as he cud. Even going as far to suggest there is a different entry way from the moss chapel . One good look at the road and Quirrel relay wanted to convince his lady she is in no health to make this track but her mind was set. She wanted to see the mask maker and she would go to the ends of the world to do it. Finally her loyal assistant relents and whit a sigh , and a sad look towards kin, nodes.   
‘He looks like a sweet boy, wouldn't be fair to not try and help’ He admits , looking whit a soft smile towards Ghost.   
‘Yeh that and we stand a better chance in Deepnest than whit a hungry Herrah’ Monomon giggled holding Kin as if he was a small baby , his broken head propped up on her shoulder .

Hornet went first to talk down any potential acolytes of her mother , stringing a thread across the chasm, the princes left faring the sacks of food to the hanging nest to Ghost who did it whit out a word.   
This is emotional for her, I haw no right to intrude, he thinks of all the times he left Hornet to weep in the empty chamber of her mother before.   
It's fine, it wont happen again. He tells himself.   
It's fine.   
At the same time his looking around for even a twinkle of a scarlet flame, like Nightmare told him. But there is nothing and briefly doubt takes a hold . Was he just hallucinating? Cud be, after all why would Grimm come and Give him the flames, asides for Brumm, bless his soul, nobody ever gave him something for free. And he didn't expect it, after all this whole thing was suppose to be a test, whats the point of a test if somebody gives you a pass regardless of how you do.   
Ghost enters the main nest slowly, inside there was the same congregation of bugs that always traps him, but this time they were more, animated for lack of better description. They moved excitedly and seamed taller, almost to his level or slightly above. The moment he crossed the threshold they made a grab for him.  
Or so he tough. He raised his needle ready to deflect, but instead aiming for him the bugs made a grab for the sacks, eager and vibrating whit excitement.  
‘Gifts for the beast’ They chatterer again and again like some sort of warped prayer. And whit that they were off, streaking up the wall so fast they seamed nothing more but shadows , there masks falling to the ground whit a clank, discarded, un needed. The ceiling buzzed and moved as the acolytes open up an entrance to the tomb . It was prepared to let not just a slender bug like him there, no it was widen enough to let the Queen herself thru.   
He follows them swiftly, thru the corridors that now were lit whit the shivering light of newly ignited candles moving in the wind.   
Tunnels once occupied by hulking masked beasts, conspicuously empty.   
A distorted string music filed the narrow passageways as it seemed the spiderlings began some ancient tune on there webs.   
Ghost partially expects a crowed of bugs at the foot of Herras bed but to his surprise there were non but Hornet , do he felt a thousand ayes on him.   
Then it hits him. The queen would wake up hungry like a best.   
Apparently loyalty was one thing, sacrificing oneself to seethe a monarchs hunger was a different.   
Hornet looked at him, her ayes seeming a bit worried but more hopeful than ever before. On Herras hood there already shone the blue charm, keep in place by a decorative braid of silk.   
‘Ready?’ She asked . Voice strain.  
Ghost nods and brings out the dream blade, holding it in front he ignited the light . A wave of gasps filed the room as acolytes scatter to get out of the suddenly caste light back in to the safe embrace of darkness.  
Hornet had to restrain herself from jumping in front of the blade as her sibling took a swipe at her mothers prone form.   
The blade passed thru whit no harm , only a faint twinkle of a bell present as her Brothers body fails forward unconscious.

The princes sighed , worry still plaguing her, but instead of giving it weight. She snapped her fingers loudly.  
The room moved and within a few seconds a new pedestal was erected next to Herras, one made of bone and shell, and covered in lacy silk layer. A few long legged worshipers, lifted the vessels body whit reverence , and placed it gently on the bed.   
The air filed whit a silent whisper of recited prayers. Over time new small bugs both live and dead would be placed a round the altar a singe that the few worshipers her mother still had were out and about gathering there own offerings.  
Hope was in the air. But Hornet feared what would there reaction be if it proved unfounded.  
Would she regain a parent this night or would she be force to kill what remain of her subjects ?


	29. Chapter 29

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Might ad P in a separate chapter so its easier to skip. Might.

Herras dream space was as bland as all the rest of the dreamers. Filed whit light and nothingness. Monomons mind and spirit was naturally lively, Luriens was loyal and suborn. But Herrah..to Ghost she always seamed the most disinterested. Like her mind was miles and miles away from the other dreamers. She rarely if ever addressed him directly. Would she now?

Coming closer Ghost stooped and took a breathe before talking. He relay wished he cud do it in reality as easily as it came in the dream world.   
‘Greetings lady Herra’ The knight started bowing his head but not taking his ayes of of her.  
She seamed to move a bit in response to being formally addressed. But gave no further indication of interest.  
‘ I am Ghost of Hallownest..i..i come to set you free’ He says. No reaction.  
‘I want you to wake up...your daughter is waiting.’ That gets things going as the Queen gets within inches of him in seconds, and hoist's him up by the neck, like his a newly hatched fruit fly. Slender fingers squeezing whit surprising force.   
‘Lady Herrah, pleas...i com in...good faith...’He gasps ‘Your daughter is safe..’ Fingers continue to tighten.  
‘Pleas..’ Ghosts mind reals fast, he feels his starting to slip from the dream, what would make her listen?!’Pleas...I'm pregnant’  
Herras head jerks up ayes blink a bit surprised, she gazes down at his expended midsection, and loosens the deathly grip .  
‘It talks, it walks, and it bore a child’ She muses out loud setting him down. ‘And yet I would recognize your kin anywhere...the pale ones spawn, an empty vessel ‘  
The knight calmed himself a bit and after a moment raised a head to look at Herrah meting the bests gaze whit out fear.   
‘Not so empty as you can see..’ He huffed.   
‘You spoke of my daughter ...how is he?’ It would be un queenly of her to hide her desire.  
‘Shes waiting for you Lady Herrah, right outside of this dream..’  
‘ I made a promise to the Pale Wyrm to stand this ground and serve as a bond ...’  
‘lady Monomon said you'd go whit that..she asked me to remind you that a promise made by a king can be receded by a king’  
‘Monomon?’ Herrah raised her head and looked out in to the distance ‘Ah I see you haw gotten to her first...a wise choice , she was the only one of us ready and eager to dissolve this pact. So is it then that the Wyrm has seared a new heir? Perhaps one not so..foolish as him?’  
‘My Father is dead, I carry his brand now’ Ghost turned a round and puled down his cape to show the symbol burned , blazing white in to his shell.   
To his surprise Herrah burst out laughing.   
‘Good weary good, he deserves to be replaced by one of your kind.’  
Ghost smiled internally, letting the cape drop, addressing her once more.  
‘So will you please leave whit me?’   
‘Mm..i appreciate you trying to set right what your parents foolishness had broken, but my body is weak and even if I abandon my station I'm sure to fade quickly.’  
‘I got that covered to.’  
‘Do you? Seams your full of surprises. But I must ask , I feel the infection railing up , Lurien will not be able to hold it alone, stubborn as he is. What is your plan?’  
‘I wish to set my brother free, and kill the Radiance.’ He responds bluntly.  
‘Hard feat to kill something that has no body that can be torn apart.’  
‘They have a soul I can devour and that is enough.’ Ghost stands firm. Once again Herrah explodes in laughter.  
‘A besets hart I see in your, you'd do well to contact the hunter that dwells in the green path you two would make good friends.’  
‘Actually’ The knight fished out a small trinket from his cape he made positive to clasp to his cloak before sleeping, the jagged fang whit an all to familiar brand. Herrah took it carefully, and smiled. The Ladies hand dipped in to the recesses of her own cowl, and she took out a similar one.  
‘Brothers in the hunt I see.’   
Ghost ayes shone a bit whit surprise mixing equally whit fascination.   
‘If he gifted this to you than you have proven yourself a resilient soul.. tell me your plan, and I advise you not to deceive me young one and only then will I make my decision.’  
Ghost nodes eagerly. For his sister.

Hornet sat between her mothers and Ghosts bed, her smaller hand clasped on to Herras. She almost fell asleep herself when suddenly she felt a twitching of fingers. With send a surge of adrenaline thru her system.   
Fear and hope all mixed together create the most intoxicating combination. Hornet squeezes her hand back but is afraid to look her in the ayes. What if this is all a dream, and she will haw to wake up after turning a round.   
Only when a tender black hand plus at her face, she dos take the leap, and stands face to face whit her mothers opened ayes.  
‘Mom..’ The princes whispers whit a strangled voice ,jumping forward to hug her whit trembling hands. She lets go and dos it again more gently after all it is only the blue boobel that keeps this body a lit whit life. What if she hugs to tight?   
Herrah chuckles lightly and brings her in for the strongest embrace derelict muscles can handle .   
Never before in her long life had Hornet lost composure like then, voice so riddle whit sobs and checkups she couldn't string together more than two syllables at a time. Mask welling up whit tears.   
‘He did it, he did it..mom...he did it.’  
‘Indeed he did Hornet..’ She laughs petting her horns ‘Mm shh its okay, I'm not going anywhere’ Herrah whispers siting up and taking her precious child in to her arms like she was still but a baby. 

Sometime during there tearful reunion Ghost came too, and decided it was best to give them some space . Abby's knows he needed a breath of fresh air after being interrogated by Herrah abut the most minute of detail's of the outside world. She had the laser focus of a true predator well worth of a hunters brand.  
There conversation felt like a good bug bad bug thing. Unlike Talking to lady Monomon with felt like explaining something to an over exited toddler who hyper focuses on minute details that derail the rest of the conversation.   
Standing outside the hanging nest Ghost noticed there were spiders on the outside working feverishly to clean everything up. It didn't escape him that they was also one flinging the corpses from one of the nest in to the river below. He and the spider doing the dumping meet ayes and stared one another down for w moment whit a clear ‘what?’ hanging in the air.   
The staring contest was broken by a distinct ‘Ahem’ from behind the spiderling. Then the critter made the mistake of leashing out in surprised anger on the mysterious figure in red who was looking enraptured at Ghost. Grimm didn't spear his aggressor even a passing glance as he slapped it of the ledge whit the nightmare lantern he held.   
‘Pleas don't run’ Were the first words out of his mouth as the knight made the slightest of moves. So he stooped and pointed at him and then on the ledge troupe master was on. the Grimm kin dutifully moved back to allow the vessel room to land. Once they were face to face they just stood there, silently daring one another to vanish if they blink. Finally Ghost nodes his head towards the lantern .  
‘Ah but of course...i..Nightmare stated you’d need it...’ He presented the metal rode to him bowing his head slightly.’Are you okay do? ‘ his voice bears more than a passing hint of worry.  
The sorter bug made a distressed noise, and after a moment shock his head ‘No, he relay wasn't’ But then again there dancing partners mere presence seamed to help. Even if consciously he was a bit weary, in his hart he had already forgiven the taller bug.  
Grimm, slowly moved forward stooping suddenly, not relay knowing where the boundary of physical contact was for them since last time.   
‘I..perhaps we cud sit down and talk for a bit? ‘  
Ghost nods, yes this is...it felt like the wise course of action. Together they ducked in to the small house witch was now to the vessels surprise decorated almost like guest chamber. Fitted whit a spiderweb covered bed. That might have been there from the beginning under the corps pile. Or not. The knight preferred not to dwell on it.   
Grimm made a point to look anywhere but towards bed, asides from a table and a dresser there wasn't a lot to speak off.   
‘So..a bout last time..I'm..I'm truly sorry I scared you, that wasn't my intent..i don't even quite understand what I did wrong but...regardless I'm sorry that the outcome made you distressed. If you tell me what it was i promise not to do it again.'   
Ghost stabbed the lantern in to the ground filing the room whit warm red light and flipped his cape to the sides, exposing himself . Grimm both felt a pinch of excitement, and then worry as his not quite lover pointed out a small scratch on his shell leading down to his belly.   
‘I did that...I'm..I'm sorry it ..i..’He flounders embarrassed at his own lack of tact. Last time he lost control over his strength was when he was a gnat that barely developed hands.   
To his credit all Ghost needed to forget and forgive was the knowledge Grimm didn't want to hurt him or there child .  
Whit out thinking of it he retched out and hugged his partner ,truly relived his paranoia was unfounded. Thanks to the red light nobody would see that Grimms face was a flame now that his mate has smilingly accepted him.  
Bering in mind Brumms words a bout self control the red bug gently pushed Ghost of him. Careful not to offend, but it was easier to maintain a clear mind that way. for the time being any way.   
‘I..ahym...I'm going to assume this means, water under the bridge?’  
Ghost cocked his head to the side curiously.  
' It means were okay’ He explained whit a soft smile.  
The knight nodes enthusiastically.   
They stand in silence for a few moments before the vessel finally takes out his writing utensil.  
‘Ah your mute!’ Grimm exclaimed surprised. Right it made seance why his dancer wouldn't talk then. They simply cud not. Embarrassed by his own lack of observation skills the trope master fells the need to instantly amend the situation . ‘Allow me to help’ he says politely snapping his fingers, the flame responds in a hart beat. The room erupted whit red dream essence . ‘Try now’ He encouraged .  
‘Did you take us to the dream realm?’ Ghost asked out loud amazed , the sound of his voice send a thrill down Grimms spine. Like a taste of forbidden fruit.  
‘No I brought a bit of it to us, the flame makes it easier , it thins thins the barrier between physical and dream.’  
‘Incredible. The power of the dream realm doesn't stop astounding me. Haw you ever seen something more ..i don't even know how to call it, beautiful? Fascinating?’ Ghost asked taking a dream sigil in to his hands and looking at it entranced. At the same time Grimm was looking at him whit a small honest smile that lighted up his ayes .  
‘Oh I definitely did’  
‘Mm, what was it?’  
‘Ah excuse me? ‘  
‘You said you seen something more fascinating than the dream realm..what was it?’   
‘Well..you’   
Those words went thru Ghost like an electric current. They had to turn a round in fear of..something.  
Grimm also coughed in to his hand a bit embarrassed.  
‘So...you wanted to..ask me something..before this? When you reached for the tablet?’ He offers hoping for a less embarrassing talking subject. Perhaps something that would make maintaining control over his body easier.  
‘Ah..yeh..yes I did..’  
‘So?’  
‘When you scratched me..what were you intended on doing if not attacking me? ‘  
The cogs in the troupe masters mine came to a scratching hold like somebody stuck a iron rod in them. It took a surprising amount of focus to answer whit a straight face.  
‘Well..you know..i wanted to..initiate..mating ‘  
Ghost went silent for a moment thinking a bout it ‘I do know that words..’ He says slowly, he remembers clearly bugs in his multiple lifetimes speaking of it, Godtamer even propose it to him as ‘To the victor go the spoils’ what ever that meant. Salubra mentioned it quite often and he read something a bout in Bretas journal..but it was always ..so vague he couldn't get a read on what it was. He noticed Grimm was looking at him expectantly, one eyebrow raised. ‘ But I have to say I don't relay know what it means’ He concluded and his companion looked like he got the air knocked out of him for a second.  
‘Are you okay?’ Ghost inquired worried.  
‘It's..fine...ah..out of curiosity..how old are you? ‘  
The knight shrugged.   
‘Right that would be to easy of a question...how many heat seasons have you gone thru?’  
‘...You mean molts?’  
‘No I mean heat seasons, when your body gets hot for an extended amount of time, your abdomen expands and...well..you either lay empty eggs or get the urge to...make some eggs not empty...depending on how your body presents’  
‘I can say whit confidence I have never went thru...what your describing’   
'Never?'  
'Never.'   
Grimm's mind was swinging like pendulum from wanting to preserve this ideal innocent creature that yet was somewhat going to give him a child to the overwhelming urge to claim them now, and be the first to introduce them to any, and all things carnal.   
‘Right...so. Have you ever..felt passionately for somebody before this? ‘  
Ghost gives a small lough ‘Of course. Wasn't our dance passionate?’ After all across there times together that was what Grimm always said, and that's what the knight associated whit said word.   
The pendulums swing became sluggish as it came to decide on witch side it would rest.   
‘Did our dance..make you..hot inside your shell?’  
‘Definitely.’ Now Ghost was curious where this line of questioning was going, not to mention making Grimm visibly flustered was fun.  
‘Did it make your hart beat faster?’ The troupe master steeped closer placing a hand on there chest.  
‘Mm yes’ The vessel cuddly help but laugh a bit at this, on instinct he put a hand on Grimm's shoulder and the other on his hip in a dancing stance. This surprised the nightmare bug but soon enough he smiled and put a hand round the knights waist, bringing there hips together closely. Swain to a mystery rhythm of an unheard song .  
‘And when you get warm..how dos it feel?’ He asked in a hushed voice. Ghost started to feel that familiar fog envelop him, warm bloomed in his chest , the child inside of him seamed to ignite and move, this was bliss and then some. Something more. Heat mounted as there steeps quicken and it seamed to pure down his spine in to his hips.  
‘ Is moving down ’ He finally answered .  
‘Moving where?’ Grimm responds moving his hand down the vessels spine in between his legs but tactfully avoiding the main attraction so to speak.   
‘Your teasing me, I can fell from your hands you know where it goes..’ Ghost huffed nuzzling his head in to the taller bugs neck inhaling his signature musk. A part of him wanted to rub all over Grimm to get that scent embedded in to his shell, and to shed his own on to him for everyone to know.   
‘So maybe I am..what are you going to do a bout it ?’ He teased, the knight retaliated whit a pleading voice the nightmare kin found he cud not refuse even if he tried.   
‘Explain this to me...pleas, everybody else acts like I should know. ‘ The trope masters mouth runs dry at this.   
‘Can I show you? ‘ He asked inching them towards the bed in this seemingly innocent dance. Ghost was already drowning in the pleasant haze his partner seamed to exude. Warm content and feeling safe , suddenly he was starved not only for literal flames but for the particular fire only Grimm cud give. At this point heed agree to anything asked of him.   
‘Pleas’ He trilled and raised his head up to meet Grimm's waiting lips.   
The longer they kissed, the warmer he got, there hands abandoned any shape of a dancing stance, roaming freely over one another, before the red bug stooped. One last feeble attempt at control.  
‘I'm sorry I just...’ He snapped his fingers a bit clumsily whit haste, as the bed was engulfed within seconds in a red flame burning the spider webs off, turning the old musty sheets in to red silk and the wooden frame jet black. ‘I couldn't imagine doing it on a shabby bead..not when its your first time’ he purred kissing him again.  
Ghost didn't understand the sentiment but felt this was in a way suppose to pamper him so he was happy any way.   
Grimm set him down on the bed and caringly unclasped his little dancers blue cape putting it to the side, before getting reedy to discard his own .Ghost made a swift grab for it, and twirled it around himself, he relay liked this cape, it smelled of the troupe leader , was soft and warm like a piece of clothe dried by the fire.   
Grimm purred out loud at this display, it was getting him more regaled up than it consciously should , to the point where...

<...redacted P section cuz I'm evil... >

The pair lay next to one another cuddling in the after glow that was quickly becoming a newly stoked flame of passion. Grimm crawled over his smaller mate whit a smile so wide he was surprise his face cud contain it. He lovers himself down and started nuzzling Ghosts bump purring affectionately, fully intending to go even further down to extend there play time, when his head suddenly encounters a cold steal blade. Meeting his own scarlet gaze reflecting back at him, he carefully looks up to see a bug dressed in red standing on the foot board of the bed brandishing a weapon at him ayes looking down whit murderess intent like he was a long sought after target. Right behind this bug stood a hulking grey behemoth of a woman whit a rather amused expression taking big bites out of a prone tik tik. there was also a score of others, blue pill bug whit an armful of a sleepy child that he was trying to desperately cover the ayes of, and a squid lady who seamed a bit to cheerful . Plus he was fairly certain that at list two of the people present in this room should be dead according to nightmares memories, with was a whole new level of concerning beyond getting walked in on .   
All that said Grimm turned slowly to Ghost who was currently trying to close his legs desperately , and had his read cape puled over his head pretending his not there.   
Right, this is ...right.   
‘Ahem...’ Grimm tried siting up, the blade following his jugular as he move, whit a laser like focus. ‘ I haw a feeling some introductions might be in order’ He strains out , for the first time in his life feeling a bit performance shy.


	30. Chapter 30

Grimm was siting next to Ghost, his lover was covered from the waist down hugging a pillow so fiercely it looked like it was a bout to pop from the pressure.   
The troupe master on the other hand sat butt, naked on top of the covers since his cape wasn't going to be returned any time soon, He made it a point to be as exhibitionist as he cud to hopefully force his new red clad opponent to feel uncomfortable, and back down instead of swinging a blade inches from chis face every few seconds . The largest older woman of the group. Herrah? Sat on the edge of the bed whit somewhat of a ‘knowing smile’ that irritated him.   
It also didn't escape Grimms notice that since they got coughed she started eating her bug snacks from the back. Almost theatrically biting off there genital area whit a crunch that made a shiver run down the troupe masters spine. But dam it all to hell if he was a bout to show he was intimidated.   
There was also the squid lady next to him whose tentacles kept constantly drifting his way, seemingly to poke at him, but got slapped mid way by the blue pill bug that now bore the face of somebody that reached enlightenment and cud not show any more emotions besides serenity. One dam good poker-mask if he ever saw one.  
Grimm appreciated this one. He relay did. If only for being the list problematic of the bunch, besides the sleeping vessel that now had a nice little silky hammock in the corner of the room.   
Poor thing ever from the bed Grimm felt its energy reserve was abysmally low. They were a quarter of a second from death.   
‘I'm assuming your not Him..so perhaps a descendant..’ the queen of Deepnest , turning her face to look at him, and then smiled towards Ghost ‘ It seams an infatuation whit his kind is something you inherited, I don't know whether it's wise or not, but I do hope you haw more luck whit keeping the child than your predecessor...’   
‘ Only by a miracle!’ Hornet huffs, her form seaming to nearly vibrate whit long suppressed emotions ’ Little Ghost has been all over this infected nest , how he survived and still maintained his pregnancy is a mystery to me’   
The blue bug blinked a few times and looked to his friend , took a few calming breathes, slapped his ladies tentacle , and returned to his meditation posse. He cud deal whit this all later.   
The troupe master turned to his dancer who made it a point to look at nobody. A bit embarrassed and not wanting to engage.   
‘I'm positive it couldn't be that bad..’ Grimm tried to interject, knowing that his lover harvested barely two flames on his own and the novices aren't that hard. His lover gave him an appreciative glance but quickly looked away again.   
Within seconds do, a blade was again under the red bugs chin , and frankly this thing has lost its novelty a bout 6 murder attempts a go.   
‘What?’ he barked back at the princes.   
‘Ill tell you what you..you...’ The next string of expletives startled everyone a round for a few seconds .  
‘hah..mush haw been a sleep for longer than I tough, I don't recognize at list three of them..’ Herrah muttered crunching her snack.  
‘Oh I herd a variant of tows I think your daughter is just weary creative ‘ Monomon smiled, and her older friend returned the gesture . Grimm on the other hand relay wanted to know when did he hit his head on the way down to meat his little dancer, because clearly this was some fever vision brought on by a concussion.   
Hornet was undeterred by any of the side conversation and continued tearing in to the older bug.   
‘Your a border line child abuser, Ghost is a child and you not only were fine whit settling him down whit your spawn but sending him out alone to care for it. A care I might add meant a constant battle state. Do you even haw an inkling of idea on how dangerous this corps of a kingdom is for regular fully grown bugs not ones burden by hawing there strength saped by a different being in them?! Not only that but I know your future plans for him, once he birthed you'd planed to goat him in to a second fight!. Your no better than tows wasps that violently rape other bugs so there children can devour the host from the ins..umfff!’ Hornet fell of the foot board flat on her ass whit a face full of pillow and a rather angry vessel standing at the top of the bed , bear shell for all to see.   
Monomon stifled a giggle and even Herrah ayes him for a split second making not of a similarity to his father and mother . But what shocked them all was .  
‘You leave him alone, this was my choice!’   
Hornet stared at him surprised and shocked for so long that her sibling actually lost his angry wind, and started fidgeting nervously. Fearing he overstepped. This was his sister after all she only wanted to help..but enough was enough.   
‘Pleas don't be mean to Grimm’ Ghost tried again’ I love him’   
Quirrel gave out a soft sight, and rubes his forehead while Monomons face was full of pure joy. Grimm turned reader than he thinks he ever was.   
‘Little Ghost..you..talk’ Hornet strode up and looked at him’ But how?’   
‘It's the red lantern...Grimm brought it here for me..for me and the baby...it puts as in to a half dream zone...i think’ He looked to his lover for approval.  
‘Hornet..i love you your my sister...but pleas, let go already. I know your trying to protect me, but I love him...i wanted this. As strange as it is for you to understand I relay, relay wanted this...wanted him. ‘  
‘Your to young to understand Ghost...’  
‘i i know, I know I am...but I already made my decisions, I don't need help whit that part of it all. what is done, is done. I need a sister to be a good and awesome aunt to my baby when its here...i need to know you haw my back... but not like this. ‘  
This confession all do heartfelt from seamed to brake something in his sister.  
‘You need me to pick up the peaces when you go on your little suicide errand is that what your want? ‘  
‘I..what..no..Hornet that's not..’  
‘I read your journal, I know what a ‘good ending’ entails in your mind. And you think id EVER be okay whit you doing it? Me of all bugs..me who...i know how it feels Ghost...’ She looks to Herrah and then back at him ' You can't understand what this dos to a bug'   
‘Hornet..i..’  
‘No...no I'm ...I'm not ready to listen to your excuses, or talk a bout that book . If you don't need me to deal whit him! Than...perhaps you don't need me at all now. Your plans for me in the book end here...my usefulness ends here ..goodbye Ghost...’ She stands up her voice tight . She turned to her mother ‘Ill be in my chamber’ and rushes out.   
Ghost is half way after her when he suddenly collapses on the floor huffing loudly holding his belly. The child was not appreciating all this stress.   
Surprisingly it's Quirrel who is at his side in an instant, and guides him carefully on shaking legs to the bed. The world seams a bit tilted but otherwise everything is fine.   
‘Site down friend, your mate is bringing you what you need.’ He offers , and its true Grimm was up and caring the red lantern closer to him so he can consume it in a safe position.   
‘I think I kept you away from your sustenance long enough my love… pleas.’ The red bug offers it whit a soft smile ‘its all the flame needed to complete the ritual.’ 

The knight accepted it, felling immense hunger the closer the blaze was to him and his baby. It was like his body suddenly stooped thinking and realized what it was missing. He cud say by the glint in Grimm's ayes, the bug knew exactly how he felt. Before he started eating he entangled there fingers together, looking in to one another ayes they all but tuned out the three bugs staring at them whit barely contained curiosity.   
Fore one Quirrel couldn't blink away as he looked at his friend devouring the flame, darkness feeding on light . Dancing whit it before puling it down. Firs time in years the archivist felt a pull to draw again.   
His friends body expanded sweating bullets of void that instantly soaked back in to the shell that was now lighted up from underneath whit a hellish glow of a run away furnace.   
As the last of the flames were devoured Ghosts abdomen swelled painfully, his shell began to actually crack. Something was wrong, the felling only intensified when the blue bug met ayes whit Grimm's terrified orbs and the room was filed why a pain riddle shriek. The bulge in his stomach moved visibly downward,and a wet stain appeared between there legs.  
‘Whats going on? ‘ Quirrel stiffens instantly at the panic in the red ones ayes, prompting the former adventurer to instantly go in to problem solving mode.   
‘His egg drooped he will be hiving birth any moment now’ Herras cold but steal calm voice permeated the air. ‘ You two. Hold his legs open, so i can see how his dilation. Momo I might need you to’  
‘Don't you worry friend I am here ‘ She slipped over to Ghost punting her tentacles to specific's spots on Ghost body numbing them whit her natural ability , turning his frantic yells in to merely gasping for air.   
Grimm and Quirrel moved the legs apart as Herrah inspected the vessels small opening.   
‘This isn't good’  
‘Whats going on?’ The troupe master asked trying to project calm but failing miserably.   
‘His hips aren't developed, the plates didn't separate yet ..how young is this one..?’ She muttered but didn't spear Grimm even a glance . The red bug was sweating bluets on his own, one hand grasping Ghosts leg the other one intertwined whit his lovers palm who was currently braking it apart whit a death grip.   
‘What dos that mean for him?’ Quirrel asks as if he reed Grimm's mind .  
‘It means ill haw to brake his shell for the egg to safely pass thru the channel .  
‘Wait what?! No’ Grimm suddenly found his voice.   
‘There is no other way, in this state it wont go pass his hips , eventually something will give, either his shell or the egg will crack inside , worst case both happen . His entry isn't big enough to let the child thru any way ill need to widen it ...this body simply to under developed’   
Monomon whit out hesitation fished out a knife from Quirrels travel bag, and dipped it in to her own acidic flesh to disinfect the blade . As she was prepped she took no damage . Jelly fish were funny like that, density was a novel concept to them.   
Herrah took the blade and with a butchers precision and swiftness started sliding it over Ghost hips. The shell had to be broken but it would heal easier if the brake went along straight lines .  
‘Momo find the kid something to bite on to.’ The Queen ordered, and within moments Monomon procured something seemingly soft, a decoration candelabra. Nobody wanted to know if it was made out of wood or bone. Nobody.   
‘Bite down darling and try to focus between pushes.’ The teacher instructed , gone was the happy go lucky demeanor, instead now she was calm and decided.   
As Ghost bites down on the decoration feeling it crack, Herrah slowly cut pen his entrance . A muffled cry filed the room.   
‘it's fine breathe love..its going to be fine’ Grimm encouraged him gently knowing the worst was jet to come. Even Quirrel grasp the second black hand and held it tightly. Looking to the vessel whit as match of an encouraging smile as he cud muster.   
Herrah garbed him by the hip bone, a steady bone braking grippe whit her fingers right on the braking lines to apply centralized pressure.  
‘Deep breath ‘ She orders looking Ghost straight in the ayes.  
The vessel swallowed and nodded , he was reedy to survive anything for his baby.   
Whit out any further warning the room filed whit the sharp sound of a snapping shell, a crunch of a broken candelabra and a jowl that seemingly shook the whole nest.   
Monomon pared over Herras shoulder.  
‘Was that enough? Will it pass thru?’  
‘No. But if were lucky the egg will emerge enough for me to cut thru the cap and get the grub out. ‘ Herrah assessed, sweet beating down her forehead as her body wasn't expecting this match movement nor stress right after awakening.   
‘Push boy push!’ She commanded towards the barely conscious knight .   
Every push was accompanied by a grunt of pain as a ball of ruby red started slowly emerging from the void bleeding entrance.   
‘Go on , your almost done’ This time it was Monomon whose tentacles were sliding round Herrah to grasp the egg the moment they see the line of the cap so it doesn't slide back in.   
As the egg pushed thru tearing the wound even more, finally what they were hoping for came thru and Herrah's blade once again came down. The bed was suddenly flooded by an absurd amount of protective red fluid.   
Do worried Ghost gave out a soft sound of relief as the pressure in his shell lessens. The egg deflated and something smaller, far smaller passed thru his abused entrance.  
Suddenly the world was filed whit a soft keening miauling of a newborn grimmchild.  
‘You did it Ghost, you did it!’ Quirrel cheered , squeezing his hand.  
‘You did it love, its over...his beautiful’ Grimm echoed.  
‘ A lively one ‘ Herrah agreed as the gnat already started to move its small wings even do it couldn't hope to fly just yet.  
‘ A precious little one, it seams fully developed, congratulation...’  
lats thing Ghost register before falling unconscious was Grimm reaching out to hold there baby whit star struck ayes. He knew he was safe, his grimmchild was safe. It was okay to slip in to the dream realm and let them take care of him and the little one for a minute.   
His most dangerous mission to this point was finally finished.


	31. Lost Porn chapter. illustrated

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay lets see if this works. I wanted to do something special for all you loyal readers. Specially since this is kindow a skipabel chapter so. Hope you like my bad comic book smut


	32. Chapter 32

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sorry i had a bit of a burn out .

Grimm sat next to Ghost sleeping form, cradling there newborn in his arms. He felt relay happy, and at the same time terrified tired , and confused. How cud one haw so many emotions at one time was beyond him . Adrenalin has long since worn off leaving him feeling barely alive, nearly boneless. The fact this grimmchild was so small stabbed him in some soft unprotected part of his brain that got him instantly sezing if he doweled on it for to long . Despite consuming all the ritual flames it still looked like a stage one, do its small body was already colored red , ayes were jet black asides from a reddish streak going thru the middle. No line markings on the face, it was pure ivory white like there mothers.   
And yet, despite all that worry.   
He keeps looking at it whit awe, picking out every detail of its appearance, and committing it to memory, when his ayes began to close and head dipped down. As the dream world claimed him something different stepped in to his skin. Within seconds his ayes turned more red then ever before, and his skin gained a reddish glow, fangs elongated along side the horns. Shell and muscles crunched and pulled to accommodate a new voice and form. A full possession in bloom.  
‘Well hello there..’ Nightmare cooed at the baby that opens its ayes a bit intrigued by the new sound.   
‘So your the one that started all this mess...my but your a big trouble maker for something so small’   
He raised a clawed finger to tickle the gnat under there head until it was purring. The innocence of childhood. It was completely unaware that had the Nightmare vessel wanted to, he cud sever it's head clean of whit said claw. Not that he would, just that he cud.  
As if sensing his toughs the small one roles on to its back and exposed its belly for more scratching, whit a soft squeak that proved it was not afraid of this big bug.   
‘Defiant aren't you? Plus you haw absolutely no idea what the consequences of your stubbornness cud be, do you?’ He coed ‘Don't know don't care ey?’ He laughed and then his smile turned melancholic.   
It's a miserable existence your borne in to… ‘ Nightmare sighed pating the baby absentmindedly. Thinking of things that cud haw been, had fate been kinder and he smarter.  
‘You know I always assumed one day ill see you and the king like this’ Came a silent voice. Red ayes bulged as Nights head snapped up to see Monomon swaying in the entrance to the bedroom.’May I?’  
‘First time you ever ask for permission of me’ The red bug huffed. He still remembers those short stories circulating a bout him. Granted he found them incredibly flattering and funny but still, he was a bit miffed he was never offer a percentage from the sales. Then Again momo didn't exactly flaunt she was the author, he found out a bout her 'hobby' by pure accident.   
‘You know one cud say it is you who owed me payment for free PR’   
‘Did I say that out loud?’  
‘Partially...seams like your no longer used to hawing a mouth..or an inside voice for that mater. Had the same problem’  
‘...It's been some time since I had a body...’He admits looking away. Rarely if ever did he resort to possession, hawing flesh was unnerving to him, now he at list remembers why.   
‘I had suspicions when I felt you in the dream realm...i tough maybe your ghost lingered somewhere..but I never expected something like this.’  
‘Oh let me guess you tough my wounded and broken spirit awoke somewhere in this desolate place, riddle whit pain of existence as one of my own kind brought back the circus ..that it was the tragic situation of two vessels that resonated whit me and rouse me from my eternal slumber gods only know to what end..indeed that would be a lovely story for you to write.’ Nightmare spouted out in the most theatrical monologue he cud muster under the circumstances   
‘While I do not appreciate your mockery I think ill steal that story idea, thank you. Sounds like a potential best seller’ Monomon shot back, her mater of factness and optimism pushing down on Nightmares depresiv theatrical behavior.   
The gnat made ‘niah!’ noise trying to strike a small pose almost instinctively.   
Both bugs looked at it and chuckle.  
‘So..what became of you ...i can see you posses this form..reincarnation, vessel? Or just a stolen form you feel comfortable whit?’  
‘All three and so match more monomon… sit down, i will explain all that i can while this body is in my hands. 

\---

While the two were talking Ghosts mind drifted off in to an unknown realm of sleep. Somewhere far beyond this time. He recognized the entrance to the abyss he was standing before ,but it was different, the corridor was different, red silk on the walls and lanterns, it looked like the passageway in the Grimm's tent to a point.   
The gates were wide open do before them stood two tall figures looking surprisingly like his lover , and jet different all the same. One was a lanky whit tattered bat like wings sporting the colors of black and white, while the other had delicate monarch wings but the traditional colors of red and black.   
An invisible wind propelled him beyond the two strange sentinels that to there credit seemed oblivious to his present until he actually passed them at witch time they bowed deeply whit respect .   
Strange as it was it had nothing on what he saw once he entered the abyss.   
Walls once lined whit sharp spikes were now covered by broken vessel masks. A wall of faces decorated whit a mixture of red flowers he recognized from Emilitia's Boudoir and delicate white blooms . Cleaned and mended to the best of ones abilities. No longer forgotten, but revered like ancestors. The bottom of the abyss changed as well, it was pulsating whit a reddish glow , a low spectrum that wasn't there to use or carve the shade in to smaller peaces, no it was there living, and caring for it. Oval tents, doted the landscape and cocoon like houses hung from the walls. Tall bugs and vessels milld a bout on the, streets lighted up by fiery lanterns.  
He wanted to go down this hole, see if the sea of void was still there, what happened to the lantern? Were there any shades left?  
But before he made more than two steps.  
A flurry of shadow like Grimm children seamed to spot him from there sleeping nests among the masks doting the walls. Whit an enthusiastic wave of a thousand Niah they darted towards him whit the full force of an army of toddler/puppy hybrids seeing there favorite person .  
\----

Quirrel was taking some time to breathe, and recenter himself. He was weary happy his friend was safe. He was also weary disappointed in himself he had apparently left a pregnant bug to fend for himself , and then was to nearsighted, selfishly concentrated on his lady to notice they had a bump. But at the same time he relay tried not to spiral down in all of this. Self pity will not help anyone, and oh peel beings did they need help.   
He watched the broken vessel dart in front of him, slashing at some infected bugs . Quirrel was suppose to guide them towards the soul springs and protect them on the way, but the boy seamed weary match capable of taking care of himself. Do it didn't escape Quirrels attention that after every kill they would stoop and look to him in what the pill bug determine was a form of asking for praise.   
Poor thing seamed starved for positive interactions . The blue bug couldn't possibly imagine what life could lead to south a profound state of hunger. 

As they approached the springs they noticed there not in fact alone. Hornet was already there .  
‘Your late’ She mouthed skipping stones on the water.   
‘Wasn't aware we were expected on the dot..wasn't positive we were expected at all’ Quirrel shot back standing next to kin, and pating the boy between the horns to the vessels glee.   
After some coaxing the pill bug got the him to take his cape off, and jump in to the water .   
‘You play and ill wash your cloak ‘ He said whit a smile, and sat down to do exactly that. Hornet came closer.  
‘How can you be so calm in the face of all of this..’  
‘What do you mean? ‘ Quirrel stooped, and looked at her worriedly, there was a lot of strange things going on right now if she wanted a specific answer he needed a specific facade of this twisted mess to address.   
‘.. this..this thing.. that's happening, you read his journal right? I herd you talking whit Monomon a bout it , and you weren't surprised by anything she said.’  
‘Oh ..that..’  
‘’Oh that’ Is that all you haw to say a bout it?’   
‘Well..yes… not a lot I can say beyond that..its kindow out of our control. ‘ He said a bit bitterly, just to find a distraction he started washing the cloak again.   
‘Doesn't that scare you?’ She asked after a few moments whit a voice so calm and devoid of emotions, yet strained like a string a bout to snap. The tentative aye of a tornado where everything was calm until it moved.   
‘Weary match so..’ Quirrel answered honestly prepared to feel the brunt of said force of nature.   
‘Then how..how do you cope whit this?’   
The blue bug took a breath, and sighed. ‘One day at a time princess, I take it one day at a time, one problem at a time. ‘ He looked at her ‘ I know I don't haw a bearing on the big things happening a round me, but I do haw a say in the small ones that form the bigger issues .’ Quirrel pointed his head to kin . ‘I know I can work on myself, and tows closes to me, make a difference for them, focusing on smaller aspects of a bigger problem makes it easier to breathe. To form plans on how to progress.’   
‘But what a bout that that is out of your hands? That this world cud be wiped out of existence at any time, that we might blink and be back to where we started , whit out our family and friends..alone. Not even whit a shred of a memory to hold on to?’ Her voice was still as calm as a mountain slope, but the snow was slowly moving downwards.   
‘...princess’ He tried to chose his words carefully’ We haw no say a bout that… it is literally out of our hands. And while we might not be able to remember what happens if...if the world takes a dark turn...we haw the here and now, don't we? Why sacrifice the brief moment of happiness , in lue of a looming shadow that might or might not fall upon us. I trust in your younger sibling, I trust he will do this again and again until he secedes, he did it already .’ Honet sat down next to him head hung in shame. ‘Don't let fear parlays you princess, your better than this. ‘ He takes a hold of her hand’ Never before did we hope to see out loved ones again, but here they are. And never before were we this close to this eternal night ending. ..its okay to haw hope. it is quite effective in fact, in expelling fear. that and focusing on smaller things. ' Quirrel blushed a bit, he was getting lost in his own explanation and he felt it.   
Hornet considered it for a moment before taking a clean end of kin's cloak and taking out a needle and a thread. She didn't particularly trust this pill bug and there hectic explanation. but she was willing to try. And thus she started mending the small cloak.


End file.
